Economic feasibility of ethanol production from biomass and waste resources via catalytic reaction

• Published in: Waste management & research Vol. 31; no. 4; pp. 421 - 427
• Main Authors: Yeon, Sun-Hwa, Shin, Dae-Hyun, Nho, Nam-Sun, Shin, Kyoung-Hee, Jin, Chang-Soo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01.04.2013; Sage Publications Ltd
• Subjects: Biomass; Catalysis; Conversion; Ethanol; Ethanol - metabolism; Feasibility Studies; Municipal solid waste; Payback periods; Petroleum production; Raw materials; Studies; Synthesis gas; biomass; wastes; catalysis; Biofuel; thermo-chemical reaction; synthesis gas; ethanol
• ISSN: 0734-242X; 1096-3669
• DOI: 10.1177/0734242X12467067

An economic evaluation of ethanol (EtOH) production from a thermo-chemical process derived from biomass/waste feedstocks was conducted. The influence of feed amounts, catalytic conversions, and EtOH selling prices was examined as these are the major variables for the economic evaluation of biomass/wastes conversion to EtOH. Among the three feedstock systems of biomass, high-moisture municipal solid waste (MSW), and plastic waste, the plastic waste has far better economic feasibility, with a payback period of 2–5 years at maximum CO conversion (40%) from syngas to ethanol, due to its higher heating value in comparison with biomass and high-moisture MSW. The heating value of the feedstock is a key factor in determining the overall economic efficiency in a thermo-chemical EtOH production system. Furthermore, enhancement of the CO conversion (related to catalytic activity) from syngas to EtOH using a low cost catalyst is necessary to retain economic efficiency because the CO conversion and cost consideration of catalyst are crucial factors to reduce the payback period.