Technology Alternatives for Upgrading Pyrolysis Oils Derived from Biomass Waste

Problem

The pyrolysis of biomass waste is one of the most promising pathways for transforming renewable resources into energy carriers and circular feedstocks. However, the resulting pyrolysis oils exhibit characteristics that hinder their direct use in conventional industrial infrastructures, including high oxygen content, thermal instability, water presence, corrosiveness, and low calorific value.

The objective of this challenge is to identify innovative technologies capable of improving the properties of pyrolysis oils derived from biomass waste, facilitating their integration into industrial value chains to produce renewable fuels, chemicals, or bio-based feedstocks.

Opportunity

The availability of biomass waste represents an opportunity to generate renewable carbon to produce sustainable fuels and low-environmental-impact chemicals. Among the various conversion pathways, pyrolysis enables the transformation of lignocellulosic biomass into a liquid oil with higher energy density than the original biomass, while offering logistical advantages in terms of storage and transportation.

However, pyrolysis oils produced using conventional technologies present several technical limitations that challenge their direct use in refineries and petrochemical complexes. These include:

• High oxygen content.
• High acidity and corrosiveness.
• Storage instability.
• High water content.
• High viscosity.
• Tendency to polymerize and form coke.
• Incompatibility with certain conventional industrial units.

Previous internal assessments have shown that, although pyrolysis technologies are relatively mature, oil upgrading remains one of the main bottlenecks for the large-scale industrial deployment of this pathway. These studies also highlighted the need to identify emerging technologies capable of converting pyrolysis oils into streams suitable for renewable fuel production or for integration into existing refinery infrastructures.

What we are looking for

We are seeking innovative technologies focused on upgrading, conditioning, and advanced conversion of pyrolysis oils derived from biomass waste.

Priority will be given to solutions that demonstrate:

• Higher technology readiness levels (TRLs).
• Strong energy efficiency performance.
• Integration potential within existing refinery and petrochemical complexes.
• The capability to produce upgraded intermediates suitable for renewable fuels, chemicals, or other bio-based products.

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