A Preliminary Assessment of Biomass Conversion to Fischer- Tropsch Cooking Fuels for Rural China

A variety of liquid hydrocarbons can be produced via Fischer- Tropsch synthesis from biomass. We present energy balance results for two configurations for co-producing domestic cooking fuels (synthetic LPG or kerosene) and electricity from gasified biomass. We make a preliminary estimate of the costs of co-producing electricity and LPG from com stalks in the context of rural Jilin Province, China. Direct combustion of com stalks for cooking is extensively practiced in rural Jilin today, contributing to health problems due to indoor air pollution.