Syngas is an important feedstock when producing many chemical products, but also gaseous biofuels and liquid biofuels. Its can also be used in turbines for efficient production of electricity and heat. A recently published f3 report, Synthesis gas from agricultural feedstock – a review of possible technical pathways, includes a review of the possibilities of converting agricultural feedstock to syngas via upgrading of biogas from anaerobic digestion and thermochemical conversion. The focus of the review is on technical conversion systems rather than feedstock and it is based on existing literature, but there is also a rough energy analysis, examining some of the energy inputs and outputs to the system.
According to the report, there are many different technological pathways available for production of syngas from agricultural feedstock and it is impossible to say which is the preferred technical pathway. The final use of the syngas is on decisive factor, while availability and cost of feedstock, logistics, storage possibilities etc. also can be decisive. The scale of production and required investment can be another factor for choice of technology, as well as energy and environmental performance. Furthermore, some technologies are commercially mature while others are still under development, so the preferred technical pathway in the future may be different than today. However, when evaluating the different technologies, scalability and costs are vital. and should be subject for future studies.
Read the report Synthesis gas from agricultural feedstock – a review of possible technical pathways.