Tristan R. Brown

A techno-economic review of thermochemical cellulosic biofuel pathways.

Recent advances in the thermochemical processing of biomass have resulted in efforts to commercialize several cellulosic biofuel pathways. Until commercial-scale production is achieved, however, techno-economic analysis is a useful methodology for quantifying the economic competitiveness of these pathways with petroleum, providing one indication of their long-term feasibility under the U.S. revised Renewable Fuel Standard. This review paper covers techno-economic analyses of thermochemical cellulosic biofuel pathways in the open literature, discusses and compares their results, and recommends the adoption of additional analytical methodologies that will increase the value of future pathway analyses.

Techno-economic analysis of monosaccharide production via fast pyrolysis of lignocellulose

The economic feasibility of a facility producing monosaccharides, hydrogen and transportation fuels via fast pyrolysis and upgrading pathway was evaluated by modeling a 2000 dry metric ton biomass/day facility using Aspen Plus®. Equipment sizing and cost were based on Aspen Economic Evaluation® software. The results indicate that monosaccharide production capacity could reach 338 metric tons/day. Co-product yields of hydrogen and gasoline were 23.4 and 141 metric tons/day, respectively. The total installed equipment and total capital costs were estimated to be

Mild Catalytic Pyrolysis of Biomass for Production of Transportation Fuels: A Techno-Economic Analysis

210 million and

Stochastic techno-economic evaluation of cellulosic biofuel pathways

326 million, respectively. A facility internal rate of return (IRR) of 11.4% based on market prices of

Techno-economics of advanced biofuels pathways

3.33/kg hydrogen,

Optimization Model for a Thermochemical Biofuels Supply Network Design

2.92/gal gasoline and diesel,

Techno-economic assessment (TEA) of advanced biochemical and thermochemical biorefineries

0.64/kg monosaccharide was calculated. Sensitivity analysis demonstrates that fixed capital cost, feedstock cost, product yields, and product credits have the greatest impacts on facility IRR. Further research is needed to optimize yield of sugar via the proposed process to improve economic feasibility.

A Framework for Defining the Economic Feasibility of Cellulosic Biofuel Pathways

A techno-economic analysis of mild catalytic pyrolysis (CP) of woody biomass followed by upgrading of the partially deoxygenated pyrolysis liquid is performed to assess this pathways economic feasibility for the production of hydrocarbon-based biofuels. The process achieves a fuel yield of 17.7 wt% and an energy conversion of 39%. Deoxygenation of the pyrolysis liquid requires 2.7 wt% hydrogen while saturation of aromatic rings in the pyrolysis liquid increases total hydrogen consumption to 6.4 wt%. Total project investment is

Technoeconomic assessment of second-generation biofuel pathways: challenges and solutions

457 million with annual operating costs of

Biorenewable Resources: Engineering New Products from Agriculture

142 million for a 2000 metric ton per day facility. A minimum fuel selling price (MFSP) of