IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/appene/v139y2015icp175-187.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Industrial-scale bioethanol production from brown algae: Effects of pretreatment processes on plant economics

Author

Listed:
  • Fasahati, Peyman
  • Woo, Hee Chul
  • Liu, J. Jay

Abstract

Brown algae, considered as the third generation biomass, offer several advantages over lignocellulosic biomass. However, the current high cost of seaweed cultivation hampers the industrialization of macroalgae-based biofuel production. The aim of this study is to determine the maximum dry seaweed price (MDSP) as an upper limit for purchasing price of brown algae at bioethanol plant gates. In addition, a minimum ethanol-selling price (MESP) was calculated by considering the state-of-the-art bioethanol production technology and current brown algae-cultivation costs. A new simple pretreatment process was economically validated and compared with the traditional acid thermal hydrolysis known as combined pretreatment. The processes were simulated at the scales of 80,000 and 400,000ton/year of dry brown algae using the Aspen Plus v.8.4 software, and techno-economic models were developed based on mass and energy balance. MDSP for the simple and combined processes was calculated as 64.6 and 26$/ton (80,000ton/year) and 91.3 and 71.5$/ton (400,000ton/year), respectively. In addition, MESP for the simple and combined processes was determined as 2.39 and 2.85$/gal (80,000ton/year) and 2.08 and 2.33$/gal (400,000ton/year), respectively. These results indicate that the simple pretreatment is economically superior to the combined pretreatment. A comprehensive sensitivity analysis showed that seaweed price had the highest impact on MESP, thereby confirming that the cost-effective large-scale seaweed cultivation is the key to the success of macroalgae-based biofuel production.

Suggested Citation

  • Fasahati, Peyman & Woo, Hee Chul & Liu, J. Jay, 2015. "Industrial-scale bioethanol production from brown algae: Effects of pretreatment processes on plant economics," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 175-187.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:139:y:2015:i:c:p:175-187
    DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2014.11.032
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306261914011945
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.apenergy.2014.11.032?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. He, Jie & Zhang, Wennan, 2011. "Techno-economic evaluation of thermo-chemical biomass-to-ethanol," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 88(4), pages 1224-1232, April.
    2. Tarwadi, S.J. & Chauhan, V.D., 1987. "Seaweed biomass as a source of energy," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 12(5), pages 375-378.
    3. Cerón-García, M.C. & Macías-Sánchez, M.D. & Sánchez-Mirón, A. & García-Camacho, F. & Molina-Grima, E., 2013. "A process for biodiesel production involving the heterotrophic fermentation of Chlorella protothecoides with glycerol as the carbon source," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 341-349.
    4. Ge, Leilei & Wang, Peng & Mou, Haijin, 2011. "Study on saccharification techniques of seaweed wastes for the transformation of ethanol," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(1), pages 84-89.
    5. Lehto, Jani & Oasmaa, Anja & Solantausta, Yrjö & Kytö, Matti & Chiaramonti, David, 2014. "Review of fuel oil quality and combustion of fast pyrolysis bio-oils from lignocellulosic biomass," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 116(C), pages 178-190.
    6. Reyes Valle, C. & Villanueva Perales, A.L. & Vidal-Barrero, F. & Gómez-Barea, A., 2013. "Techno-economic assessment of biomass-to-ethanol by indirect fluidized bed gasification: Impact of reforming technologies and comparison with entrained flow gasification," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 254-266.
    7. Jonker, J.G.G. & Faaij, A.P.C., 2013. "Techno-economic assessment of micro-algae as feedstock for renewable bio-energy production," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 461-475.
    8. Lee, Hyung Won & Choi, Suek Joo & Park, Sung Hoon & Jeon, Jong-Ki & Jung, Sang-Chul & Joo, Sang Hoon & Park, Young-Kwon, 2014. "Catalytic conversion of Laminaria japonica over microporous zeolites," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 2-6.
    9. Daroch, Maurycy & Geng, Shu & Wang, Guangyi, 2013. "Recent advances in liquid biofuel production from algal feedstocks," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 1371-1381.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Liu, J. Jay & Dickson, Rofice & Niaz, Haider & Van Hal, Jaap W. & Dijkstra, J.W. & Fasahati, Peyman, 2022. "Production of fuels and chemicals from macroalgal biomass: Current status, potentials, challenges, and prospects," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 169(C).
    2. Safaripour, Maryam & Saidi, Majid & Nodeh, Hamid Rashidi, 2023. "Synthesis and application of barium tin oxide-reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite as a highly stable heterogeneous catalyst for the biodiesel production," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 217(C).
    3. Fasahati, Peyman & Liu, J. Jay, 2015. "Economic, energy, and environmental impacts of alcohol dehydration technology on biofuel production from brown algae," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 93(P2), pages 2321-2336.
    4. Adeniyi, Oladapo Martins & Azimov, Ulugbek & Burluka, Alexey, 2018. "Algae biofuel: Current status and future applications," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 316-335.
    5. Duarte, Alexandra & Uribe, Juan Carlos & Sarache, William & Calderón, Andrés, 2021. "Economic, environmental, and social assessment of bioethanol production using multiple coffee crop residues," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 216(C).
    6. Fasahati, Peyman & Liu, J. Jay & Ohlrogge, John B. & Saffron, Christopher M., 2019. "Process design and economics for production of advanced biofuels from genetically modified lipid-producing sorghum," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 239(C), pages 1459-1470.
    7. Fasahati, Peyman & Wu, Wenzhao & Maravelias, Christos T., 2019. "Process synthesis and economic analysis of cyanobacteria biorefineries: A superstructure-based approach," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 253(C), pages 1-1.
    8. Fasahati, P. & Dickson, R. & Saffron, C.M. & Woo, H.C. & Liu, J. Jay, 2022. "Seaweeds as a sustainable source of bioenergy: Techno-economic and life cycle analyses of its biochemical conversion pathways," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    9. Kazemi Shariat Panahi, Hamed & Dehhaghi, Mona & Aghbashlo, Mortaza & Karimi, Keikhosro & Tabatabaei, Meisam, 2019. "Shifting fuel feedstock from oil wells to sea: Iran outlook and potential for biofuel production from brown macroalgae (ochrophyta; phaeophyceae)," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 626-642.
    10. Brigljević, Boris & Liu, Jay J. & Lim, Hankwon, 2019. "Comprehensive feasibility assessment of a poly-generation process integrating fast pyrolysis of S. japonica and the Rankine cycle," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 254(C).
    11. Dickson, Rofice & Ryu, Jun-Hyung & Liu, J. Jay, 2018. "Optimal plant design for integrated biorefinery producing bioethanol and protein from Saccharina japonica: A superstructure-based approach," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 1257-1270.
    12. Sajid, Zaman & Khan, Faisal & Zhang, Yan, 2018. "A novel process economics risk model applied to biodiesel production system," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 615-626.
    13. Sirajunnisa, Abdul Razack & Surendhiran, Duraiarasan, 2016. "Algae – A quintessential and positive resource of bioethanol production: A comprehensive review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 248-267.
    14. Marwa G. Saad & Noura S. Dosoky & Mohamed S. Zoromba & Hesham M. Shafik, 2019. "Algal Biofuels: Current Status and Key Challenges," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-22, May.
    15. Dickson, Rofice & Liu, J. Jay, 2021. "A strategy for advanced biofuel production and emission utilization from macroalgal biorefinery using superstructure optimization," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 221(C).
    16. Kouhgardi, Esmaeil & Zendehboudi, Sohrab & Mohammadzadeh, Omid & Lohi, Ali & Chatzis, Ioannis, 2023. "Current status and future prospects of biofuel production from brown algae in North America: Progress and challenges," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 172(C).
    17. Yiru Zhao & Nathalie Bourgougnon & Jean-Louis Lanoisellé & Thomas Lendormi, 2022. "Biofuel Production from Seaweeds: A Comprehensive Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(24), pages 1-34, December.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Byun, Jaewon & Han, Jeehoon, 2016. "Process synthesis and analysis for catalytic conversion of lignocellulosic biomass to fuels: Separate conversion of cellulose and hemicellulose using 2-sec-butylphenol (SBP) solvent," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 171(C), pages 483-490.
    2. Taylor-de-Lima, Reynaldo L.N. & Gerbasi da Silva, Arthur José & Legey, Luiz F.L. & Szklo, Alexandre, 2018. "Evaluation of economic feasibility under uncertainty of a thermochemical route for ethanol production in Brazil," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 150(C), pages 363-376.
    3. Suhaib A. Bandh & Fayaz A. Malla & Irteza Qayoom & Haika Mohi-Ud-Din & Aqsa Khursheed Butt & Aashia Altaf & Shahid A. Wani & Richard Betts & Thanh Hai Truong & Nguyen Dang Khoa Pham & Dao Nam Cao & Sh, 2023. "Importance of Blue Carbon in Mitigating Climate Change and Plastic/Microplastic Pollution and Promoting Circular Economy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-29, February.
    4. Jiang, Peng & Parvez, Ashak Mahmud & Meng, Yang & Xu, Meng-xia & Shui, Tian-chi & Sun, Cheng-gong & Wu, Tao, 2019. "Exergetic, economic and carbon emission studies of bio-olefin production via indirect steam gasification process," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 187(C).
    5. Yan, Yunjun & Li, Xiang & Wang, Guilong & Gui, Xiaohua & Li, Guanlin & Su, Feng & Wang, Xiaofeng & Liu, Tao, 2014. "Biotechnological preparation of biodiesel and its high-valued derivatives: A review," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 1614-1631.
    6. Kouhgardi, Esmaeil & Zendehboudi, Sohrab & Mohammadzadeh, Omid & Lohi, Ali & Chatzis, Ioannis, 2023. "Current status and future prospects of biofuel production from brown algae in North America: Progress and challenges," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 172(C).
    7. Kazemi Shariat Panahi, Hamed & Dehhaghi, Mona & Aghbashlo, Mortaza & Karimi, Keikhosro & Tabatabaei, Meisam, 2019. "Shifting fuel feedstock from oil wells to sea: Iran outlook and potential for biofuel production from brown macroalgae (ochrophyta; phaeophyceae)," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 626-642.
    8. Daroch, Maurycy & Geng, Shu & Wang, Guangyi, 2013. "Recent advances in liquid biofuel production from algal feedstocks," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 1371-1381.
    9. Ramachandra, T.V. & Hebbale, Deepthi, 2020. "Bioethanol from macroalgae: Prospects and challenges," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 117(C).
    10. de Jesus, Sérgio S. & Ferreira, Gabriela F. & Moreira, Larissa S. & Filho, Rubens Maciel, 2020. "Biodiesel production from microalgae by direct transesterification using green solvents," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 160(C), pages 1283-1294.
    11. Atsonios, Konstantinos & Kougioumtzis, Michael-Alexander & D. Panopoulos, Kyriakos & Kakaras, Emmanuel, 2015. "Alternative thermochemical routes for aviation biofuels via alcohols synthesis: Process modeling, techno-economic assessment and comparison," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 138(C), pages 346-366.
    12. Thompson, T.M. & Young, B.R. & Baroutian, S., 2020. "Pelagic Sargassum for energy and fertiliser production in the Caribbean: A case study on Barbados," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    13. van der Heijden, Harro & Ptasinski, Krzysztof J., 2012. "Exergy analysis of thermochemical ethanol production via biomass gasification and catalytic synthesis," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 46(1), pages 200-210.
    14. Prajapati, Sanjeev Kumar & Malik, Anushree & Vijay, Virendra Kumar, 2014. "Comparative evaluation of biomass production and bioenergy generation potential of Chlorella spp. through anaerobic digestion," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 790-797.
    15. Shuhao Huo & Zhongming Wang & Fengjie Cui & Bin Zou & Pengxiang Zhao & Zhenhong Yuan, 2015. "Enzyme-Assisted Extraction of Oil from Wet Microalgae Scenedesmus sp. G4," Energies, MDPI, vol. 8(8), pages 1-10, August.
    16. Farhad Beik & Leon Williams & Tim Brown & Stuart T. Wagland, 2021. "Managing Non-Sewered Human Waste Using Thermochemical Waste Treatment Technologies: A Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-22, November.
    17. Patel, Anil Kumar & Singhania, Reeta Rani & Dong, Cheng-Di & Obulisami, Parthiba Karthikeyan & Sim, Sang Jun, 2021. "Mixotrophic biorefinery: A promising algal platform for sustainable biofuels and high value coproducts," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 152(C).
    18. Kurji, H. & Valera-Medina, A. & Runyon, J. & Giles, A. & Pugh, D. & Marsh, R. & Cerone, N. & Zimbardi, F. & Valerio, V., 2016. "Combustion characteristics of biodiesel saturated with pyrolysis oil for power generation in gas turbines," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 443-451.
    19. Syed-Hassan, Syed Shatir A. & Wang, Yi & Hu, Song & Su, Sheng & Xiang, Jun, 2017. "Thermochemical processing of sewage sludge to energy and fuel: Fundamentals, challenges and considerations," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 888-913.
    20. Chaudry, Sofia & Bahri, Parisa A. & Moheimani, Navid R., 2015. "Pathways of processing of wet microalgae for liquid fuel production: A critical review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 1240-1250.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:139:y:2015:i:c:p:175-187. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/405891/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.