Technoeconomic analysis of biofuels: A wiki-based platform for lignocellulosic biorefineries

• Published in: Biomass & bioenergy Vol. 34; no. 12; pp. 1914 - 1921
• Main Authors: Klein-Marcuschamer, Daniel, Oleskowicz-Popiel, Piotr, Simmons, Blake A., Blanch, Harvey W.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.12.2010; Elsevier
• Subjects: Alcohols: methanol, ethanol, etc; Alternative fuels. Production and utilization; Applied sciences; Biofuels; Biorefineries; Communities; Economic data; Energy; Energy economics; Ethanol; Ethyl alcohol; Exact sciences and technology; Fuels; General, economic and professional studies; Lignocellulose; Lignocellulosic ethanol; Natural energy; Platforms; Process models; Refining; Technoeconomic analysis; Wiki; Technoeconomic analysis; Biorefineries; Wiki; Process models; Biofuels; Lignocellulosic ethanol
• ISSN: 0961-9534; 1873-2909
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biombioe.2010.07.033

We present a process model for a lignocellulosic ethanol biorefinery that is open to the biofuels academic community. Beyond providing a series of static results, the wiki-based platform provides a dynamic and transparent tool for analyzing, exploring, and communicating the impact of process advances and alternatives for biofuels production. The model is available for download (at http://econ.jbei.org) and will be updated based on feedback from the community of experts in biofuel-related fields. By making the assumptions and performance metrics of this model transparent, we anticipate this tool can provide a consensus on the energy-related, environmental, and economic performance of lignocellulosic ethanol.