IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/rensus/v187y2023ics1364032123006007.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Geospatial environmental techno-economic assessment of pretreatment technologies for bioethanol production

Author

Listed:
  • Vasilakou, K.
  • Nimmegeers, P.
  • Billen, P.
  • Van Passel, S.

Abstract

Second-generation biofuels, starting from lignocellulosic biomass, are considered as a renewable alternative for fossil fuels with lower environmental impact and potentially higher supply and energy security. The economic and environmental performance of second-generation bioethanol production from corn stover in the European Union (EU) is studied, starting in Belgium as base case. A comparative environmental techno-economic assessment has been conducted, with process simulations in Aspen Plus and corn stover availability data in thirteen EU countries to calculate minimum ethanol selling prices (MESP) and Greenhouse gas emissions (GHGe). In this analysis, the emphasis is on the comparison of different pretreatment technologies, namely (i) dilute acid, (ii) alkaline, (iii) steam explosion and (iv) liquid hot water. Dilute acid showed the best economic and environmental performance for the base case scenario. Within the EU, Hungary and Romania presented the lowest MESP for the steam explosion model at 0.39 and 0.43 EUR/L respectively. Poland showed the lowest GHGe, at 0.46 kg CO2eq/L for the alkaline model, mainly due to the avoided product allocation on electricity and its high carbon intensity in the electricity generation sector. The second lowest GHGe were obtained in France for the dilute acid model and are attributed to its low agricultural emissions intensity. This study identifies a location-dependence of the economic and environmental performance of pretreatment technologies, which can be extrapolated from the EU to other large regions around the world and should be taken into consideration by decision-makers.

Suggested Citation

  • Vasilakou, K. & Nimmegeers, P. & Billen, P. & Van Passel, S., 2023. "Geospatial environmental techno-economic assessment of pretreatment technologies for bioethanol production," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 187(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:rensus:v:187:y:2023:i:c:s1364032123006007
    DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2023.113743
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364032123006007
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.rser.2023.113743?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. Lin, Cherng-Yuan & Lu, Cherie, 2021. "Development perspectives of promising lignocellulose feedstocks for production of advanced generation biofuels: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).
    2. Chovau, Simon & Degrauwe, David & Van der Bruggen, Bart, 2013. "Critical analysis of techno-economic estimates for the production cost of lignocellulosic bio-ethanol," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 26(C), pages 307-321.
    3. Solarte-Toro, Juan Camilo & Romero-García, Juan Miguel & Martínez-Patiño, Juan Carlos & Ruiz-Ramos, Encarnación & Castro-Galiano, Eulogio & Cardona-Alzate, Carlos Ariel, 2019. "Acid pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass for energy vectors production: A review focused on operational conditions and techno-economic assessment for bioethanol production," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 587-601.
    4. Liu, Huacai & Huang, Yanqin & Yuan, Hongyou & Yin, Xiuli & Wu, Chuangzhi, 2018. "Life cycle assessment of biofuels in China: Status and challenges," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 301-322.
    5. Ramsharan Pandey & Nurun Nahar & Scott W. Pryor & Ghasideh Pourhashem, 2021. "Cost and Environmental Benefits of Using Pelleted Corn Stover for Bioethanol Production," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-16, April.
    6. Kargbo, Hannah & Harris, Jonathan Stuart & Phan, Anh N., 2021. "“Drop-in” fuel production from biomass: Critical review on techno-economic feasibility and sustainability," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 135(C).
    7. Menten, Fabio & Chèze, Benoît & Patouillard, Laure & Bouvart, Frédérique, 2013. "A review of LCA greenhouse gas emissions results for advanced biofuels: The use of meta-regression analysis," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 26(C), pages 108-134.
    8. Svetlana V. Obydenkova & Lucie V. E. Defauw & Panos D. Kouris & David M. J. Smeulders & Michael D. Boot & Yvonne van der Meer, 2022. "Environmental and Economic Assessment of a Novel Solvolysis-Based Biorefinery Producing Lignin-Derived Marine Biofuel and Cellulosic Ethanol," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-29, July.
    9. Thomassen, Gwenny & Van Dael, Miet & Lemmens, Bert & Van Passel, Steven, 2017. "A review of the sustainability of algal-based biorefineries: Towards an integrated assessment framework," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 68(P2), pages 876-887.
    10. García-Velásquez, Carlos A. & Cardona, Carlos A., 2019. "Comparison of the biochemical and thermochemical routes for bioenergy production: A techno-economic (TEA), energetic and environmental assessment," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 172(C), pages 232-242.
    11. Vance, C. & Sweeney, J. & Murphy, F., 2022. "Space, time, and sustainability: The status and future of life cycle assessment frameworks for novel biorefinery systems," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 159(C).
    12. Rezania, Shahabaldin & Oryani, Bahareh & Cho, Jinwoo & Talaiekhozani, Amirreza & Sabbagh, Farzaneh & Hashemi, Beshare & Rupani, Parveen Fatemeh & Mohammadi, Ali Akbar, 2020. "Different pretreatment technologies of lignocellulosic biomass for bioethanol production: An overview," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 199(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Kargbo, Hannah & Harris, Jonathan Stuart & Phan, Anh N., 2021. "“Drop-in” fuel production from biomass: Critical review on techno-economic feasibility and sustainability," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 135(C).
    2. Ashraf Elfasakhany, 2021. "State of Art of Using Biofuels in Spark Ignition Engines," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-26, February.
    3. Solarte-Toro, Juan Camilo & Chacón-Pérez, Yessica & Piedrahita-Rodríguez, Sara & Poveda Giraldo, Jhonny Alejandro & Teixeira, José António & Moustakas, Konstantinos & Alzate, Carlos Ariel Cardona, 2020. "Effect of dilute sulfuric acid pretreatment on the physicochemical properties and enzymatic hydrolysis of coffee cut-stems," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 195(C).
    4. Li, Junjie & Cheng, Wanjing, 2020. "Comparison of life-cycle energy consumption, carbon emissions and economic costs of coal to ethanol and bioethanol," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 277(C).
    5. Li, Junjie & Zhang, Yueling & Yang, Yanli & Zhang, Xiaomei & Wang, Nana & Zheng, Yonghong & Tian, Yajun & Xie, Kechang, 2022. "Life cycle assessment and techno-economic analysis of ethanol production via coal and its competitors: A comparative study," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 312(C).
    6. Radhakumari, Muktham & Taha, Mohamed & Shahsavari, Esmaeil & Bhargava, Suresh K. & Satyavathi, Bankupalli & Ball, Andrew S., 2017. "Pongamia pinnata seed residue – A low cost inedible resource for on-site/in-house lignocellulases and sustainable ethanol production," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 682-687.
    7. Taghizadeh-Alisaraei, Ahmad & Motevali, Ali & Ghobadian, Barat, 2019. "Ethanol production from date wastes: Adapted technologies, challenges, and global potential," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 143(C), pages 1094-1110.
    8. Karami, Kavosh & Karimi, Keikhosro & Mirmohamadsadeghi, Safoora & Kumar, Rajeev, 2022. "Mesophilic aerobic digestion: An efficient and inexpensive biological pretreatment to improve biogas production from highly-recalcitrant pinewood," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 239(PE).
    9. Nabavi-Pelesaraei, Ashkan & Azadi, Hossein & Van Passel, Steven & Saber, Zahra & Hosseini-Fashami, Fatemeh & Mostashari-Rad, Fatemeh & Ghasemi-Mobtaker, Hassan, 2021. "Prospects of solar systems in production chain of sunflower oil using cold press method with concentrating energy and life cycle assessment," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 223(C).
    10. Baudry, Gino & Delrue, Florian & Legrand, Jack & Pruvost, Jérémy & Vallée, Thomas, 2017. "The challenge of measuring biofuel sustainability: A stakeholder-driven approach applied to the French case," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 933-947.
    11. Bergthorson, Jeffrey M. & Thomson, Murray J., 2015. "A review of the combustion and emissions properties of advanced transportation biofuels and their impact on existing and future engines," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 1393-1417.
    12. Zhao, Yuanhao & Wang, Changbo & Zhang, Lixiao & Chang, Yuan & Hao, Yan, 2021. "Converting waste cooking oil to biodiesel in China: Environmental impacts and economic feasibility," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    13. Tuan Hoang, Anh & Viet Pham, Van, 2021. "2-Methylfuran (MF) as a potential biofuel: A thorough review on the production pathway from biomass, combustion progress, and application in engines," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 148(C).
    14. Dzikuć Maciej, 2015. "Environmental management with the use of LCA in the Polish energy system," Management, Sciendo, vol. 19(1), pages 89-97, May.
    15. Suiuay, Chokchai & Laloon, Kittipong & Katekaew, Somporn & Senawong, Kritsadang & Noisuwan, Phakamat & Sudajan, Somposh, 2020. "Effect of gasoline-like fuel obtained from hard-resin of Yang (Dipterocarpus alatus) on single cylinder gasoline engine performance and exhaust emissions," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 153(C), pages 634-645.
    16. Sitka, Andrzej & Szulc, Piotr & Smykowski, Daniel & Jodkowski, Wiesław, 2021. "Application of poultry manure as an energy resource by its gasification in a prototype rotary counterflow gasifier," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 175(C), pages 422-429.
    17. Mariyam, Sabah & Shahbaz, Muhammad & Al-Ansari, Tareq & Mackey, Hamish. R & McKay, Gordon, 2022. "A critical review on co-gasification and co-pyrolysis for gas production," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    18. Sahu, Omprakash, 2021. "Appropriateness of rose (Rosa hybrida) for bioethanol conversion with enzymatic hydrolysis: Sustainable development on green fuel production," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 232(C).
    19. Siwal, Samarjeet Singh & Zhang, Qibo & Devi, Nishu & Saini, Adesh Kumar & Saini, Vipin & Pareek, Bhawna & Gaidukovs, Sergejs & Thakur, Vijay Kumar, 2021. "Recovery processes of sustainable energy using different biomass and wastes," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 150(C).
    20. Li, Wei & Wang, Ting & Lu, Can, 2023. "Pathways to net-zero emissions from China's transportation industry: Considering alternative fuels," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 283(C).

    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:rensus:v:187:y:2023:i:c:s1364032123006007. 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/600126/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.