Process Design and Economics for Conversion of Lignocellulosic Biomass to Ethanol: Thermochemical Pathway by Indirect Gasification and Mixed Alcohol Synthesis

Technical Report · Sun May 01 00:00:00 EDT 2011

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/1015885· OSTI ID:1015885

Dutta, A; Talmadge, M; Hensley, J; Worley, M; Dudgeon, D; Barton, D; Groendijk, P; Ferrari, D; Stears, B; Searcy, E M; Wright, C T; Hess, J R

This design report describes an up-to-date benchmark thermochemical conversion process that incorporates the latest research from NREL and other sources. Building on a design report published in 2007, NREL and its subcontractor Harris Group Inc. performed a complete review of the process design and economic model for a biomass-to-ethanol process via indirect gasification. The conceptual designpresented herein considers the economics of ethanol production, assuming the achievement of internal research targets for 2012 and nth-plant costs and financing. The design features a processing capacity of 2,205 U.S. tons (2,000 metric tonnes) of dry biomass per day and an ethanol yield of 83.8 gallons per dry U.S. ton of feedstock. The ethanol selling price corresponding to this design is $2.05 per gallon in 2007 dollars, assuming a 30-year plant life and 40% equity financing with a 10% internal rate of return and the remaining 60% debt financed at 8% interest. This ethanol selling price corresponds to a gasoline equivalent price of $3.11 per gallon based on the relative volumetric energy contents of ethanol and gasoline.

• Research Organization: National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Sustainable Transportation Office. Bioenergy Technologies Office
• DOE Contract Number: AC36-08GO28308
• OSTI ID: 1015885
• Report Number(s): NREL/TP-5100-51400; TRN: US201112%%169
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

09 BIOMASS FUELS
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
ALCOHOLS
BENCHMARKS
BIOMASS
CAPACITY
CONTRACTORS
DESIGN
DOLLARS
ECONOMICS
ETHANOL
FINANCING
GASIFICATION
GASOLINE
METRICS
PRICES
PROCESSING
PRODUCTION
SAFETY REPORTS
SYNTHESIS
TARGETS
cellulosic ethanol
production economics
process simulation
thermochemical
gasification
design report