TY - JOUR

T1 - Technoeconomic Analysis of Biodiesel and Ethanol Production from Lipid-Producing Sugarcane and Sweet Sorghum

AU - Huang, H.

AU - Long, S.P.

AU - Clemente, T.E.

AU - Singh, V.

PY - 2016/12/1

Y1 - 2016/12/1

N2 - Genetically modified lipid-producing sugarcane (lipid-cane) and lipid-producing sorghum (lipid-sorghum) have great potential for producing biodiesel due to their ultra-high yields compared to traditional oil seeds. Meanwhile, the remaining sugar in lipid-cane and lipid-sorghum can be used to produce ethanol, another important biofuel. This study proposes an integration of lipid-sorghum into a lipid-cane processing plant by using the existing machinery during the lipid-cane off-season. Technoeconomic models were developed to estimate the technical and economic feasibility of producing biodiesel and ethanol from lipid-cane and lipid-sorghum. Different lipid concentrations in harvested stems (0, 5, 10, and 20%, dry basis) were assumed based on the current research and future predictions to improve lipid concentrations in lipid-cane and lipid-sorghum. By integrating lipid-sorghum into the lipid-cane processing plant for 60 days during the lipid-cane off-season, the production costs of biodiesel and ethanol decreased by $0.03/L and $0.02/L, respectively, due to the improved capital utilization efficiency. Furthermore, processing lipid-sorghum during the lipid-cane off-season increased the annual biofuel (biodiesel and ethanol) production and revenue by 20-30% in different scenarios. The processing plant had an international rate of return (IRR) of 24.0% when using lipid-cane (20% lipid) as feedstock; and the IRR value increased to 29.2% when integrated with lipid-sorghum during the lipid-cane off-season. The technoeconomic analysis shows that integration of lipid-cane and lipid-sorghum can be a promising path to produce biodiesel and ethanol economically. A sensitivity analysis was also performed to determine the variation of the IRR with the key parameters applied in the economic analysis. © 2016, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.

AB - Genetically modified lipid-producing sugarcane (lipid-cane) and lipid-producing sorghum (lipid-sorghum) have great potential for producing biodiesel due to their ultra-high yields compared to traditional oil seeds. Meanwhile, the remaining sugar in lipid-cane and lipid-sorghum can be used to produce ethanol, another important biofuel. This study proposes an integration of lipid-sorghum into a lipid-cane processing plant by using the existing machinery during the lipid-cane off-season. Technoeconomic models were developed to estimate the technical and economic feasibility of producing biodiesel and ethanol from lipid-cane and lipid-sorghum. Different lipid concentrations in harvested stems (0, 5, 10, and 20%, dry basis) were assumed based on the current research and future predictions to improve lipid concentrations in lipid-cane and lipid-sorghum. By integrating lipid-sorghum into the lipid-cane processing plant for 60 days during the lipid-cane off-season, the production costs of biodiesel and ethanol decreased by $0.03/L and $0.02/L, respectively, due to the improved capital utilization efficiency. Furthermore, processing lipid-sorghum during the lipid-cane off-season increased the annual biofuel (biodiesel and ethanol) production and revenue by 20-30% in different scenarios. The processing plant had an international rate of return (IRR) of 24.0% when using lipid-cane (20% lipid) as feedstock; and the IRR value increased to 29.2% when integrated with lipid-sorghum during the lipid-cane off-season. The technoeconomic analysis shows that integration of lipid-cane and lipid-sorghum can be a promising path to produce biodiesel and ethanol economically. A sensitivity analysis was also performed to determine the variation of the IRR with the key parameters applied in the economic analysis. © 2016, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.

KW - biodiesel

KW - ethanol

KW - lipid

KW - sugarcane

KW - sweet sorghum

KW - Technoeconomic analysis

KW - Biodiesel

KW - Biofuels

KW - Earnings

KW - Economic analysis

KW - Ethanol

KW - Lipids

KW - Machinery

KW - Sensitivity analysis

KW - Sugar cane

KW - Economic feasibilities

KW - Ethanol production

KW - Genetically modified

KW - Lipid concentration

KW - Sweet sorghum

KW - Techno-Economic analysis

KW - Techno-economic model

KW - Utilization efficiency

KW - Molasses

U2 - 10.1089/ind.2016.0013

DO - 10.1089/ind.2016.0013

M3 - Journal article

VL - 12

SP - 357

EP - 365

JO - Industrial Biotechnology

JF - Industrial Biotechnology

SN - 1550-9087

IS - 6

ER -