Skip to main content

PNNL

  • About
  • News & Media
  • Careers
  • Events
  • Research
    • Scientific Discovery
      • Biology
        • Human Health
        • Integrative Omics
        • Microbiome Science
      • Chemistry
        • Catalysis
        • Chemical Physics
      • Computational Research
        • Artificial Intelligence
        • Computational Mathematics & Statistics
        • Graph and Data Analytics
        • High-Performance Computing
        • Software Engineering
        • Visual Analytics
      • Earth System Science
        • Plant Science
        • Atmospheric Science
        • Terrestrial Aquatics
        • Subsurface Science
        • Ecosystem Science
        • Coastal Science
      • Materials Science
        • Solid Phase Processing
        • Science of Interfaces
        • Precision Materials by Design
        • Materials in Extreme Environments
      • Nuclear & Particle Physics
        • Dark Matter
        • Neutrino Physics
        • Flavor Physics
        • Fusion Energy Science
      • Quantum Information Science
    • Energy Resiliency
      • Electric Grid Modernization
        • Distribution
        • Transmission
        • Grid Architecture
        • Grid Analytics
          • AGM Program
        • Grid Cybersecurity
        • Emergency Response
      • Energy Efficiency
        • Building Technologies
          • Building-Grid Integration
          • Advanced Lighting
        • Residential Buildings
          • Energy Efficient Technology Integration
          • Home Energy Score
          • Building America Solution Center
        • Commercial Buildings
        • Federal Buildings
          • Federal Performance Optimization
          • Resilience and Security
        • Building Energy Codes
        • Appliance and Equipment Standards
      • Energy Storage
        • Grid Energy Storage
        • Vehicle Energy Storage
      • Environmental Management
        • Environmental Remediation
        • Waste Processing
        • Radiation Measurement
      • Fossil Energy
        • Subsurface Energy Systems
        • Advanced Hydrocarbon Conversion
      • Nuclear Energy
        • Reactor Licensing
        • Reactor Operations
        • Fuel Cycle Research
        • Advanced Reactors
      • Renewable Energy
        • Hydropower
          • Environmental Performance of Hydropower
          • Hydropower and the Electric Grid
          • Hydropower Cybersecurity and Digitalization
          • Materials Science for Hydropower
          • Water + Hydropower Planning
        • Marine Energy
          • Environmental Monitoring for Marine Energy
          • Marine Biofouling and Corrosion
          • Marine Energy Resource Characterization
          • Testing for Marine Energy
          • The Blue Economy
        • Wind Energy
          • Distributed Wind
          • Offshore Wind
          • Uncertainty Quantification
          • Wildlife and Wind
          • Wind Data Archive and Portal
          • Wind Resource Characterization
        • Geothermal Energy
        • Solar Energy
      • Transportation
        • Vehicle Technologies
          • Emission Control
          • Energy-Efficient Mobility Systems
          • Lightweight Materials
          • Vehicle Electrification
        • Bioenergy Technologies
          • Algal Biofuels
          • Aviation Biofuels
          • Waste-to-Energy and Products
        • Hydrogen & Fuel Cells
    • National Security
      • Computing & Analytics
        • Artificial Intelligence
        • Computational Mathematics & Statistics
        • Graph and Data Analytics
        • High-Performance Computing
        • Software Engineering
        • Visual Analytics
      • Cybersecurity
        • Discovery and Insight
        • Proactive Defense
        • Trusted Systems
      • Nuclear Nonproliferation
        • Stakeholder Engagement
        • Technical Training
      • Weapons of Mass Effect
        • Explosives Detection
        • Chemical & Biological Signatures Science
        • Radiological & Nuclear Detection
    • Lab Objectives
    • Publications & Reports
    • S&T Capabilities
  • People
    • Inventors
    • Diversity
    • Lab Leadership
    • Lab Fellows
    • Staff Accomplishments
  • Partner with PNNL
    • Academia
      • Distinguished Graduate Research Programs
      • Internships
      • Visiting Faculty Program
      • Joint Appointments
      • Joint Institutes
    • Community
      • STEM Education
      • Philanthropy
      • Volunteering
      • Economic Impact
    • Industry
      • Industry Partnerships
      • Licensing & Technology Transfer
      • Entrepreneurial Leave
  • Facilities & Centers
    • All Facilities
      • Atmospheric Radiation Measurement User Facility
      • Bioproducts, Sciences, and Engineering Lab
      • Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory
      • Institute for Integrated Catalysis
      • Marine and Coastal Research Laboratory
      • Radiochemical Processing Laboratory
      • Shallow Underground Laboratory
      • Systems Engineering Building
      • Wasteform Development Laboratory
      • PNNL Seattle Research Center
      • PNNL 5G Innovation Studio

Breadcrumb

  1. Research
  2. Energy Resiliency
  3. Transportation
  4. Bioenergy Technologies
  5. Waste-to-Energy and Products

Waste-to-Energy and Products

Creating opportunities from ecological and economic liabilities

  • Vehicle Technologies
  • Bioenergy Technologies
    • Algal Biofuels
    • Aviation Biofuels
    • Waste-to-Energy and Products
  • Hydrogen & Fuel Cells
  • News & Updates
  • Attend a Waste-to-Energy and Products Event

Animal manures, wastewater, and food waste might seem out of sight, out of mind. But when processed using waste-to-energy technology, they one day will be at the forefront of awareness—taking up residence in products like plastics as well as serving as fuels for cars and airplanes.

PNNL researchers are providing thought leadership around waste-to-energy efforts for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO). These efforts build on PNNL’s groundbreaking research to turn wastewater sludges into biocrude oils—oils that can be converted to transportation fuels using conventional methods.

To HTL and beyond

Hydrothermal liquefaction, or HTL, uses high pressure and temperature to convert wet waste into crude oil, but the process only takes minutes—not millions of years. The PNNL-developed technology has shown that biocrudes from wastewater sludge and a few other wet wastes can be refined using conventional petroleum refining operations.

HTL offers several advantages over other thermochemical conversion methods. It works best with wet biomass, not requiring expensive and lengthy processes to dry the material. It can transform almost all the biomass into biocrude oil, leaving less waste destined for the landfill. It also offers opportunities to recover valuable nutrients, such as phosphorous, for applications such as fertilizer.

Expanding on the HTL technology, PNNL is now performing cost-benefit analyses of energy production and resource recovery at wastewater treatment plants, including more than 15,000 publicly owned treatment facilities. These analyses will inform strategies to recover 170 trillion BTU/year of energy contained in wastewater. 

We’re also working on feasibility assessments for using HTL technology to transform underused wet wastes, such as manures at more than 32,000 confined animal operations across the United States.

Waste-to-energy for biofuels

Our researchers are also supporting BETO’s overarching goal to develop viable bioenergy technologies for advanced biofuels that meet DOE’s cost target. To this end, PNNL is performing lifecycle impact and techno-economic analyses for processing wet wastes via HTL.

Someday soon, those odious animal manures or wastewater sludges could be just the material that powers your next family car trip.

Facilities

Bioproducts, Sciences, and Engineering Laboratory

News & Publications

MAY 18, 2018
Web Feature

From Breakfast to Biocrude: Study Identifies Production Potential across Nation

Read
from-breakfast-to-biocrude
JULY 19, 2019
Web Feature

The Uncertainties Around Algae for Biofuel

Read
Photo shows algae being dumped into the HTL system
JANUARY 30, 2019
Web Feature

Boosting Biocrude: Gaining Twice the Fuel from Corn Waste

Read
Modular Hydrothermal Liquefaction System
JUNE 22, 2018
Web Feature

How Wastewater Treatment Plants Could Be Pumping Out Fuel Instead of Sludge

Read
06_22_2018_water

Research Topics

Energy Resiliency Transportation Bioenergy Technologies Catalysis Materials Science

PNNL

  • Get in Touch
    • Contact
    • Careers
    • Doing Business
    • Environmental Reports
    • Security & Privacy
  • Research
    • Scientific Discovery
    • Energy Resiliency
    • National Security
Subscribe to PNNL News
Department of Energy Logo Battelle Logo
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is managed and operated by Battelle for the Department of Energy
  • YouTube
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn