Thermochemical Conversion of Forest Biomass into Biomethane Transportation Fuel

The purpose of this project was to advance technology for producing an ultra-low-carbon fuel from California-based renewable biomass. Currently, no large-scale commercial technology is available to generate low carbon fuels from forest woody biomass. G4 Insights, Inc. advanced its pyrocatalytic hydrogenation process, a proprietary technology for low temperature thermochemical conversion of forestry residue into high quality biomethane, or renewable natural gas. The G4 Insights, Inc. process uses fast pyrolysis rather than gasification of the biomass to generate a vapor from the solid phase. This enables a low temperature pyrocatalytic hydrogenation process.

The goal of this agreement was to design and demonstrate a pilot scale pyrocatalytic hydrogenation production unit that converts California wood waste into transportation grade renewable natural gas.

G4 Insights, Inc. designed and constructed a demonstration test unit. The project used woody biomass collected from California forest trimmings during fuels management operations to successfully produce low carbon, renewable natural gas using forest biomass waste. Placer County used the fuel in a natural gas fleet vehicle.