The Digest’s 2025 Multi-Slide Guide to Catalytic Upgrading of Waste Carbohydrates to Hydrocarbons

In this presentation, researchers chart the progress of a project focused on developing a technology for converting carbohydrates in paper sludge into hydrocarbon biofuel economically and sustainably. The project includes sludge selection, ash removal, enzymatic hydrolysis, dehydration, aldol condensation, hydro-deoxygenation, and fuel testing. The team contacted 17 paper mills and received 11 paper sludges for testing. The TEA goal is a 25% reduction in the net levelized cost of disposal resulting from the technology. The project achieved targets for ash removal, enzymatic hydrolysis, dehydration, and aldol condensation.