The promise of Energy Biosciences Steven E. Koonin Chief Scientist, BP plc February 2007
The promise of Energy Biosciences
Steven E. KooninChief Scientist, BP plcFebruary 2007
2
the rationale for Energy Biosciences is simple and compelling• Biology is the most rapidly developing of the sciences
• Novel technologies emerge from rapidly developing science
Biology will generate disruptive technologies
3
33 genomes sequenced
5
2
5
115
11
1
2
[Data from NCBI 5/25/05]
9 genomes sequenced
81
5 genomes sequenced
211
Protists 1
understanding life - 1995
4
320 genomes sequenced, 813 ongoing sequencing projects
277 complete/521 in progress
25 complete/26 in progress
18 complete/266 in progress
But we’ve only just begun–Number of species known and described = 1.7 millionEstimated total number of species = tens of millions
19/155/11
0/0
2/9 21/466/171/93
1/410/3
17/29135/2838/30
3/11/6
Other1/14
[Data from NCBI 2/09/06]
1/2
4/1178/723/31
Protists 3/461/0 Other
understanding life – Feb 2006
5
Identification, subcellular location,
and dynamics of molecular machines
Regulation of gene expression
in individual cells
Subcellular Cellular
Ecosystems
Who is expressingwhat, when, where,
and under what conditions? How do they work together?
From Molecules to Cells to EcosystemsObtaining a Predictive Understanding of Biological Systems
the rise of systems biology
6
the rationale for Energy Biosciences is simple and compelling• Biology is the most rapidly developing of the sciences
• Novel technologies emerge from rapidly developing science
Biology will generate disruptive technologies
• ~80% of the world’s energy is based upon carbon
• All of life is based upon carbon (and 3.5 billion years of evolution)
There are likely to be great synergies
7
Thalassiosira pseudonana Methanococcus jannaschii
Ocean carbon pumping
Microbulbifer 2-40
Biomass conversionMethane production
Deinococcus radiodurans
Radiation resistance -bioremediation
Rhodopseudomonas palustris
Hydrogen production / Carbon sequestration
nature has already designed multiple solutions to meet our energy challenges
Source: DOE
8
the rationale for Energy Biosciences is simple and compelling• Biology is the most rapidly developing of the sciences
• Novel technologies emerge from rapidly developing science
Biology will generate disruptive technologies
• ~80% of the world’s energy is based upon carbon
• All of life is based upon carbon (and 3.5 billion years of evolution)
There are likely to be great synergies
• Major funding and applications of biotech are biomedical
• There have been far smaller investments in agriculture, materials, chemicals
“Energy bioscience” is largely open territory
9
Enhanced Oil RecoveryHydrogen Production
potential applications of energy biotech
Coal Bed Methane
Carbon Sequestration
Bio-remediation
Bio-plastics
De-sulphuirsation Biofuels
10
it’s really hard to beat liquid hydrocarbons
Density = 1 gm/cm3
Research & Advanced Engineering 11Research & Advanced Engineering 11
Volumetric Eff. (miles/liter) Gravimetric Eff. (miles/Kg)
Gasoline 5.3 6.6
Li-ion Batteries 1.33 0.5
Volumetric and Gravimetric Performance
Assumptions: Battery → 150 Wh/kg, 400 Wh/l, 300 Wh/miGasoline → 20 mpg
Primary Energy Conversion Technology Products
Reforming
Coal
Natural Gas
Biomass
Extra Heavy
Oil
SyngasConversion
- FT- Oxygenates- Chemicals
Gasification
Enzymatic/Biological Conversion
PowerGeneration
Electricity
Fuels
Chemicals
Refining Processes- coking
- hydro-treating- novel thermal processes
CO2 CaptureCO2 for
EOR/Storage
the fungibility of carbon
what carbon “beyond petroleum”?
Fuel Fossil Agriculture Biomass
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
Gasoli
neDiese
lCoa
lNatu
ral g
as
Other p
etrole
umNGLsCor
nPap
erSoy
Woodpu
lpW
heat
Edible fa
ts/oils
Meat/P
oultry
Cotton
Biomas
s tod
ay
Biomas
s poten
tialA
nnua
l US
Car
bon
(Mt C
)
↑↑
15% of 15% of Transportation FuelsTransportation Fuels
1000
what carbon “beyond petroleum”?
Fuel Fossil Agriculture Biomass
0
500
1000
1500
2000
Gasoli
neDies
elCoa
lNatu
ral g
as
Other p
etrole
umNGLsCor
nPa
per
Soy
Woo
dpulp
Wheat
RiceEd
ible
fats/o
ilsMea
t/Pou
ltryCott
on
Biomas
s tod
ay
Biom
ass p
oten
tialAnn
ual W
orld
Car
bon
(Mt C
) ↑↑
15% of 15% of Transportation FuelsTransportation Fuels
↑↑5300 Big!
External energy for distribution & transportation
WTW GHG emissionresult for biomasspathways. Contributionfrom above closed cycle is zero
biofuels overview – the carbon cycle
CO2 CO2
Biomassgrowth
Processing toproduce biofuel Biofuel
in cellulose/sugar/starch in fuel molecules in fuel molecules
Use in vehicle
one carbon atom as CO2 removed from atmosphere during hotosynthesis
Same carbonreturned toAtmosphereas CO2
Carbon in crop or
crop residue
External energy and associatedGHG emissions for farming (e.g. from fertiliser use)
External energy and emissions for fuel production process
+ + =
-C- -C- -C- -C-
biofuels today
• 2% of transportation pool • (Mostly) Use with existing
infrastructure & vehicles• Growing support worldwide• Conversion of food crops into
ethanol or biodiesel− US Corn ethanol economic
for oil > $45 /bbl − Brazilian sugarcane
economic for oil > $22/bbl
Flex Fuel Offers in Brazil
Food Crops for Energy
key questions
• Costs
− Biofuel production costs
− Infrastructure & vehicle costs
• Materiality
− Is there sufficient land after food needs?
− Are plant yields sufficiently high?
• Environmental sustainability
− Field-to-tank CO2 emissions relative to business as usual?
− Agricultural practice – water, nitrogen, ecosystem diversity and robustness, sustainability, food impact
• Energy balance
− More energy out than in?
− Does it matter?
corn ethanol is sub-optimal
• Production does not scale to material impact− 20% of US corn production in 2006 (vs. 6% in 2000) was used to make
ethanol displacing ~2.5% of petrol use
− 17% of US corn production was exported in 2006
• The energy and environmental benefits are limited− To make 1 MJ of corn ethanol requires 0.9 MJ of other energy
(0.4 MJ coal, 0.3 MJ gas, 0.04 MJ of nuclear/hydro, 0.05 MJ crude)
− Net CO2 emission of corn ethanol ~18% less than petrol
• Ethanol is not an optimal fuel molecule− Energy density, water, corrosive,…
• There is tremendous scope to improve (energy, economics, emissions)
19
some words on bio-diesel
• Total US Fats and Oils consumption was 3 B gal in 2002
− 2 B gal vegetable (70% soy);
− 1 B gal animal
• Biodiesel production cost is 2-3 X petroleum-based
• “It would be very ambitious to have a [US] 0.5 B gal/year biodiesel industry (1.5% of on-highway diesel use)”
• Algal production of lipids may hold some promise (1250 gal/acre), but cost??
245Sorghum (India)
35Soybean
75Sunflower
80Peanut
90Rapeseed
210Coconut
450Oil palm
Biodiesel
180Wheat (France)
330Corn (US)
280Cassava (Nigeria)
1500Sugarcane (Brazil)
280Sugarbeet (France)
EthanolFUEL-EQUIVALENT YIELDS (GAL/ACRE)
optimizing biofuels requires fusing the petroleum and agricultural value chains
•Species•Yield / Morphology
/ Development•Chemistry•Unnatural products•Stress tolerance • / Bio-overhead•Safety
•Tillage•Planting•Fertilizer•Water•Pest control•Crop rotation•Sustainability
•Optimal catchment•In-field processing(e.g., pelletizing)
•Transport energetics•Storage•Waste utilization
•Cellulose (bugs/enzymes/ chems)
•Microbial engineering •Plant integration
/ optimization•Co-products•Role of gasification
•Blends•Additives•Distribution•Engine mods
Exploration Production Transport Refining Blending
Petroleum Value Chain:
Germplasm Cultivation Harvest/Transport
Processing A real fuel
Biofuels Value Chain:
Germplasm Cultivation Harvest Process Distribution
Agricultural Value Chain:
breeding has done much for food crops
crop yields have been strongly increased but biomass yields have not
Source: European Forest Institute (www.efi.fi)Indiana Agricultural Statistics Service
Average European forest yield Average Indiana corn yield
energy crops can produce >10 t/acre biomass
Maximal reported* Miscanthus yield 17.5 tons/acreYield of 26.5 tons/acre observed by Young & colleagues
17.5 ton/acre ~ 2.04% PAR efficiency (yearly)
* Clifton Brown et al., (2001) Agronomy J 93,1013
Cou
rtesy
of S
teve
Lon
g et
al
enhanced plant size caused by increased expression of a transcription factor
Wild-type Over-expressor
Courtesy of Mendel BiotechnologyAnd Monsanto Co
the CBF gene confers drought resistance
Control CBF-Canola
10-week old plants• 7 weeks with normal
water• 1 week without
water• 2 weeks with normal
water
Courtesy of Mendel Biotechnology
26
What is the best harvesting and storage technology?
http://bioenergy.ornl.gov/gallery/index.html
cellulose digestion is a major challenge
• Plant cell walls are lignocellulose (lignin + cellulose + hemicellulose)
− The main structural and armour material of plants
• Cellulose/hemicellulose are polymers of C6 and C5 sugars
• Enzymes exist that can decompose it into C6 and C5 sugars that can then be fermented
− C5 fermentation is an un-natural act
− Enzymes need to be made cheaply, more efficient
plants cells are enclosed in cell walls
Section of a pine board
3 nm
Polymerized glucose
how cellulose is produced in a plant
30Diagram provided by: Mike Himmel and John Sheehan, NREL
Current Process to Produce Ethanol from Lignocellulose
31
NREL has worked with Genencor & Novozymes for 4+ yearsFocusing on enzyme biochemistry, cost, and specific activityInvestigating the interaction of biomass pre-treatment and enzymatic hydrolysis
The RESULT: 20-30 fold reduction in cost contribution of enzymes ($/gal EtOH)
-1
+1
+2
-2
cellodextrin
Y82
CBH1 from T. reesei
E1 from A. cellulotiticus
32
Possible routes to improved catalysts
• Explore the enzyme systems used by termites (and ruminants) for efficiently digesting lignocellulosicmaterial
• Compost heaps and forest floors are poorly explored
• Explore In vitro protein engineering of promising enzymes
• Develop synthetic organic catalysts (for polysaccharides and lignin)
33Diagram provided by: Mike Himmel and John Sheehan, NREL
•Increase biomass yield•Improve biomass characteristics•Increase biomass yield•Improve biomass characteristics
• Exploit novel catalysts
• Reduce severity and wastes
• Raise sugar yields
• Exploit novel catalysts
• Reduce severity and wastes
• Raise sugar yields
• Eliminate separation• Combine enzyme production
saccharification, hydrolysis, and fermentation into one reactor
• Total Process integration
• Eliminate separation• Combine enzyme production
saccharification, hydrolysis, and fermentation into one reactor
• Total Process integration
Next Generation will Reduce Costs of Cellulosic Ethanol Production
Ethanol is only a first-generation biofuel
Biological ease
Molecular complexity (carbon number)
Fuel utility
Methanol Ethanol … 2,2,4 -TMPButanol
BP Biofuels a growing alternative
better fuel molecules
• Biobutanol has a number of attractive properties:
− Easily blended into gasoline
− Can use existing fuel infrastructure without major modification
− Potential to be used at higher blend concentrations than ethanol in unmodified vehicles
− An energy content closer to that of gasoline than ethanol – reducing the impact on fuel economy for the consumer
• Biobutanol is complementary to ethanol:
− Can be used together with ethanol
− It can enhance the performance of ethanol blends in gasoline
36
Nature offers many alternatives to ethanol
Fatty acids
Synthetic microbe
Alkanes
Esters
Alcohols
Olefins
Diverse Renewable Feedstocks
•Vibrio furnissii M1•Uses hexose and pentose•Secretes medium chain alkanes
Courtesy of LS9 Inc.
3.75
2.48
2.89
1.140.90
1.20
0.911.03
2.79
0.84
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
current and projected production costs of bio-gasoline components
Source: BP Analysis, NREL, CERES, NCGA
etha
nol p
rodu
ctio
n co
st ($
/gal
lon)
EU Sugar Beet
Brazilian Sugar Cane
US Corn
US Switchgrass
Ligno-cellulosic Fermentation
Conventional Fermentation
US Corn Stover
Key:
Base case
10 year plausible technology stretch
• Ligno-cellulosic biomass is the key to materiality and sustainability of biofuels in long term
• Currently uneconomic – 1/2 pilot plants operating
• Technology advances will dramatically reduce costs
38
microbial applications for Coal Bed Methane
39
microbial enhanced oil recovery
40
biological opportunities for carbon mitigation
41
BP Energy Biosciences Institute to pursue these opportunities
• Dedicated research organization to explore application of biology and biotechnology to energy issues
• Sited at a University of California – Berkeley and it’s partners, University of Illinois Urbana-Champagne and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
• Open “basic” and proprietary “applied” research
• Initial focus on the entire biofuels production chain− Smaller programmes in Oil Recovery, hydrocarbon conversion,
carbon sequestration
• Involvement of BP, academia, biotechnology firms, government
• $500M, 10-year commitment; operations commencing June `07
Questions/comments/discussion