Integration of genome-scale metabolic model with biorefinery process model reveals market-competitive carbon-negative sustainable aviation fuel utilizing microbial cell mass lipids and biogenic CO₂

Journal Article · Wed May 01 00:00:00 UTC 2024 · BioResources

DOI: https://doi.org/10.15376/biores.19.3.4056-4086 · OSTI ID:2462722

Baral, Nawa Raj ^[1]; Banerjee, Deepanwita ^[1]; Mukhopadhyay, Aindrila ^[1]; Simmons, Blake A. ^[1]; Singer, Steven W. ^[1]; Scown, Corinne D. ^[2]

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1. Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI), Emeryville, CA (United States); Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
2. Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI), Emeryville, CA (United States); Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)

Producing scalable, economically viable, low-carbon biofuels or biochemicals hinges on more efficient bioconversion processes. While microbial conversion can offer robust solutions, the native microbial growth process often redirects a large fraction of carbon to CO₂ and cell mass. By integrating genome-scale metabolic models with techno-economic and life cycle assessment models, this study analyzes the effects of converting cell mass lipids to hydrocarbon fuels, and CO₂ to methanol on the facility’s costs and life-cycle carbon footprint. Results show that upgrading microbial lipids or both microbial lipids and CO₂ using renewable hydrogen produces carbon-negative bisabolene. Additionally, on-site electrolytic hydrogen production offers a supply of pure oxygen to use in place of air for bioconversion and fuel combustion in the boiler. To reach cost parity with conventional jet fuel, renewable hydrogen needs to be produced at less than $$\$$2.2$ to $$\$$3.1$/kg, with a bisabolene yield of 80% of the theoretical yield, along with cell mass and CO₂ yields of 22 wt% and 54 wt%, respectively. The economic combination of cell mass, CO₂, and bisabolene yields demonstrated in this study provides practical insights for prioritizing research, selecting suitable hosts, and determining necessary engineered production levels.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Office of Sustainable Transportation. Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER)
• Grant/Contract Number: AC02-05CH11231
• OSTI ID: 2462722
• Journal Information: BioResources, Journal Name: BioResources Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 19; ISSN 1930-2126
• Publisher: NC State UniversityCopyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English