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Investigation of biochemical biorefinery sizing and environmental sustainability impacts for conventional bale system and advanced uniform biomass logistics designs
Author(s) -
Argo Andrew M,
Tan Eric CD,
Inman Daniel,
Langholtz Matt H,
Eaton Laurence M,
Jacobson Jacob J,
Wright Christopher T,
Muth David J,
Wu May M,
Chiu YiWen,
Graham Robin L
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
biofuels, bioproducts and biorefining
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.931
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1932-1031
pISSN - 1932-104X
DOI - 10.1002/bbb.1391
Subject(s) - biorefinery , raw material , sustainability , biomass (ecology) , supply chain , biofuel , environmental economics , sizing , production (economics) , agricultural engineering , environmental science , waste management , business , engineering , economics , agronomy , art , ecology , chemistry , macroeconomics , organic chemistry , marketing , visual arts , biology
The 2011 US Billion‐Ton Update 1 estimates that there are enough agricultural and forest resources to sustainably provide enough biomass to displace approximately 30% of the country's current petroleum consumption. A portion of these resources are inaccessible at current cost targets with conventional feedstock supply systems because of their remoteness or low yields. Reliable analyses and projections of US biofuels production depend on assumptions about the supply system and biorefinery capacity, which, in turn, depend on economics, feedstock logistics, and sustainability. A cross‐functional team has examined optimal combinations of advances in feedstock supply systems and biorefinery capacities with rigorous design information, improved crop yield and agronomic practices, and improved estimates of sustainable biomass availability. Biochemical‐conversion‐to‐ethanol is analyzed for conventional bale‐based system and advanced uniform‐format feedstock supply system designs. The latter involves ‘pre‐processing’ biomass into a higher‐density, aerobically stable, easily transportable format that can supply large‐scale biorefineries. Feedstock supply costs, logistics and processing costs are analyzed and compared, taking into account environmental sustainability metrics. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons Ltd