Bioenergy and Biofuels

Our research and development (R&D) focuses on advancing technology development for the production of low-carbon transportation fuels in support of Canada’s Clean Fuel Standards and GHG emissions reduction commitment.

Our areas of focus

CanmetENERGY Devon’s Bioenergy and Biofuels R&D program focuses on two main technology areas: (1) co-processing of biocrudes in petroleum refineries; and (2) biorefining of biomass intermediates into renewable transportation fuels. We advance R&D in:

Co-processing: through bench- and pilot-scale testing, we develop the knowledge base for the commercial implementation of co-processing biocrudes with petroleum streams in existing refinery units.
Biocrude upgrading: explore technology options to treat undesirable components in biocrude in preparation for refinery co-processing.
Biorefining: advance promising biorefining technology concepts from lab or bench-scale to the continuous pilot-scale.
Biofuels chemistry: support technology development by understanding the chemistry and properties of biofuel products and biomass intermediates from diverse biogenic sources and conversion technologies.

Figure: Biocrude co-processing in existing petroleum refineries

Text version

Simplified scheme of how biocrude can be co-processed in existing petroleum refineries. In a refinery, petroleum undergoes distillation processes to create intermediate fractions that are distinguished by their boiling points. When co-processing occurs, biocrude is blended with these intermediate fractions and then the total blend is upgraded to produce transportation fuels with a low-carbon footprint. Biocrude can be from various plant- or animal-derived feedstocks.

Co-processing refers to the simultaneous processing of biogenic feedstocks–biocrudes, animal fats, vegetable oils, etc.–and intermediate petroleum fractions in existing petroleum refinery units to produce low-carbon transportation fuels