This paper provides a first approach on changing the present olefin production via fossil fuels by using biomass instead. The BioMTO process is an interesting alternative concept, inside the biomass thermochemical conversion platform, which could be cost competitive in the medium term. Other biomass­to­olefins processes, included biochemical and thermochemical platforms, are briefly reviewed. A techno­economic assessment for the selected case (high ethylene production mode) is presented, which is subdivided into several sections, i.e. biomass pretreatment and gasification, gas clean­up and conditioning, methanol synthesis, and methanol cracking to olefins. Preliminary results from the economic assessment reveal that the BioMTO could be competitive with present olefins market prices.

Proceedings of the 19th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition, 6-10 June 2011, Berlin, Germany, pp. 1113-1116