Economic Analysis of Cellulosic Ethanol Production
Author Information
Author(s): Kumar Deepak, Murthy Ganti S
Primary Institution: Oregon State University
Hypothesis
How do different pretreatment technologies affect the economics and energy use in cellulosic ethanol production?
Conclusion
The study found that ethanol price and energy use are highly dependent on the pretreatment technologies used in the production process.
Supporting Evidence
- Ethanol production costs were estimated to be $0.84, $0.89, $0.81, and $0.86 per liter for different pretreatment methods.
- Capital costs ranged from $91.36 million for steam explosion to $114.63 million for dilute acid pretreatment.
- Energy from lignin residue was sufficient to supply total steam required for ethanol production for all pretreatment processes.
Takeaway
This study looks at how different ways to prepare plant material for making ethanol can change how much it costs and how much energy is used.
Methodology
A comprehensive techno-economic analysis was performed using process modeling for various pretreatment technologies.
Limitations
The models were based on laboratory scale data and assumptions that may not reflect commercial scale operations.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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