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Production Cost of Biocarbon and Biocomposite, and Their Prospects in Sustainable Biobased Industries

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  • Poritosh Roy

    (School of Engineering, Thornbrough Building, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
    Bioproducts Discovery and Development Centre, Department of Plant Agriculture, Crop Science Building, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada)

  • Arturo Rodriguez-Uribe

    (Bioproducts Discovery and Development Centre, Department of Plant Agriculture, Crop Science Building, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada)

  • Amar K. Mohanty

    (School of Engineering, Thornbrough Building, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
    Bioproducts Discovery and Development Centre, Department of Plant Agriculture, Crop Science Building, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada)

  • Devashish Pujari

    (DeGroote School of Business, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON LS8 4M4, Canada)

  • Mike Tiessen

    (Competitive Green Technologies, 7 Seneca Rd., Leamington, ON N8H 5P2, Canada)

  • Atul Bali

    (Competitive Green Technologies, 7 Seneca Rd., Leamington, ON N8H 5P2, Canada)

  • Manjusri Misra

    (School of Engineering, Thornbrough Building, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
    Bioproducts Discovery and Development Centre, Department of Plant Agriculture, Crop Science Building, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada)

Abstract

This study evaluated the economic prospects of biocarbon and biocomposite in the automotive industry and bioeconomy. The production cost of biocarbon produced from Miscanthus (a perennial grass), biocarbon-reinforced polypropylene (PP) composite (hereafter referred to as biocomposite), and automotive components are determined. The production cost of biocomposite was compared with inorganic filler-reinforced polymer composite (a conventional composite, i.e., talc reinforced PP composite). The production cost of biocarbon and biocomposite is estimated to be $513.1/ton and between $3536.7–$3647.3/ton, respectively (all dollar figures are in Canadian dollars). On the other hand, the cost of the conventional composite is likely to be $3544.8/ton. However, the production cost of an automotive component can be reduced by 9–11% compared with the conventional component if the components are produced from biocomposite. Further, this study determined the net present values (NPV) of a biocarbon plant and a composite manufacturing plant. The NPV of a biocarbon plant ($42.9 million) and a composite manufacturing plant ($34.0–$34.8 million for biocomposite and $34.7 million for conventional composite) showed that both the biocarbon and composite manufacturing phases are economically attractive. We concluded that by taking an industrial symbiosis approach, the biocomposite industry can be financially more attractive and contribute more to the bioeconomy.

Suggested Citation

  • Poritosh Roy & Arturo Rodriguez-Uribe & Amar K. Mohanty & Devashish Pujari & Mike Tiessen & Atul Bali & Manjusri Misra, 2024. "Production Cost of Biocarbon and Biocomposite, and Their Prospects in Sustainable Biobased Industries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(13), pages 1-18, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:13:p:5633-:d:1426541
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. 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.
    3. Claire S. Boland & Robb Kleine & Gregory A. Keoleian & Ellen C. Lee & Hyung Chul Kim & Timothy J. Wallington, 2016. "Life Cycle Impacts of Natural Fiber Composites for Automotive Applications: Effects of Renewable Energy Content and Lightweighting," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 20(1), pages 179-189, February.
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