Catalysis Center for Energy Innovation for Biomass Processing: Research Strategies and Goals
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Catalysis Center for Energy Innovation for Biomass Processing: Research Strategies and Goals Dionisios G. Vlachos • Jingguang G. Chen Raymond J. Gorte • George W. Huber • Michael Tsapatsis
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Received: 30 August 2010 / Accepted: 21 September 2010 / Published online: 5 October 2010 Ó Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2010
Abstract Production of energy and chemicals from biomass is of critical importance in meeting some of the challenges associated with decreasing availability of fossil fuels and addressing global climate change. In the current article, we outline a perspective on key challenges of biomass processing. We also introduce the Catalysis Center for Energy Innovation (CCEI), one of the 46 Energy Frontier Research Centers established by the Department of Energy in the spring of 2009, and CCEI’s overall
D. G. Vlachos (&) J. G. Chen Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Delaware, 150 Academy St, Newark, DE 19716, USA e-mail: [email protected]
research strategies and goals along with its cross-cutting research thrusts that can enable potential technological breakthroughs in the utilization of biomass and its derivatives. The center focuses on developing innovative heterogeneous catalysts and processing schemes that can lead to viable biorefineries for the conversion of biomass to chemicals, fuels, and electricity. In order to achieve this goal, a group of over twenty faculty members from nine institutions has been assembled to bring together complementary expertise covering novel materials synthesis, advanced characterization, multiscale modeling, surface science, catalytic kinetics, and microreactors. Keywords Biomass Catalysis Fuels Chemicals Fuel cells Material synthesis Modeling Kinetics
J. G. Chen e-mail: [email protected] R. J. Gorte Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, 220 South 33rd Street, 311A Towne Building, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA e-mail: [email protected] G. W. Huber Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, 159 Goessmann Lab, Amherst, MA 01003, USA e-mail: [email protected] M. Tsapatsis Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota, 151 Amundson Hall, 421 Washington Avenue SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA e-mail: [email protected] D. G. Vlachos J. G. Chen R. J. Gorte G. W. Huber M. Tsapatsis Catalysis Center for Energy Innovation (CCEI), Newark, DE, USA
1 Introduction The decreasing availability of fossil fuels in conjunction with global climate change, the projected increases in energy demand, and the increasing concerns for national security and energy independence require a paradigm shift in energy production and utilization [1]. Production of energy and chemicals from biomass appears as one of the most promising, viable, long-term solutions to our future energy portfolio [2]. Biomass is a renewable resource with nearly a neutral carbon balance. It has been projected that *1/3 of the US transportation fuels and 25% of all organic chemicals
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