Comparative techno-economic assessment of Fischer Tropsch syncrude production via directly and indirectly electrified biomass gasification routes

To reduce carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions, phasing out fossil resources is essential. Renewable alternatives for fuels and chemicals are necessary. Fischer-Tropsch (FT) syncrude is a promising candidate for replacing fossil-based products such as transportation fuels and petrochemicals. This study evaluates syngas production for FT synthesis via gasification of lignocellulosic biomass using a process simulation software to establish mass and energy balances. The process is electrified at various stages using direct electrification (electric heating or co-electrolysis), indirect electrification (water electrolysis or co-electrolysis) and combinations of both types of electrification. The effects of electrification are evaluated in terms of CO 2 emissions, costs, material and energy flows, and key performance indicators. Carbon efficiency increases from 32.6% in the base case to a maximum of 94.5%, while energy efficiency improves from 33.1% to a peak of 50.9% improving efficient biomass utilization. The highest electrification ratio is calculated at 1.36 MW el /MW th . Syncrude production costs range from €2.11/kg (base case) to a minimum of €1.63/kg. The emission factor of syncrude is higher for the electrified scenarios compared to the base case due to the CO 2 intensity of electricity. The results demonstrate that all electrification pathways enhance carbon and energy efficiency. Most pathways show decreased levelized cost of syncrude, highlighting the potential of hybrid Power-Biomass-to-Liquid processes. Notably, combinations of direct and indirect electrification show the best performance. Additionally, methanol (MeOH) and FT syncrude production via the Power-Biomass-to-X route is compared showing the superior performance of MeOH as product.