Process design and costing of bioethanol technology: A tool for determining the status and direction of research and development
Bioethanol is a fuel-grade ethanol made from trees, grasses, and waste materials. It represents a sustainable substitute for gasoline in today's passenger cars. Modeling and design of processes for making bioethanol are critical tools used in the US Department of Energy's bioethanol research and development program. The authors use such analysis to guide new directions for research and to help them understand the level at which and the time when bioethanol will achieve commercial success. This paper provides an update on their latest estimates for current and projected costs of bioethanol. These estimates are the result of very sophisticated modeling and costing efforts undertaken in the program over the past few years. Bioethanol could cost anywhere from $1.16 to $1.44 per gallon, depending on the technology and the availability of low cost feedstocks for conversion to ethanol. While this cost range opens the door to fuel blending opportunities, in which ethanol can be used, for example, to improve the octane rating of gasoline, it is not currently competitive with gasoline as a bulk fuel. Research strategies and goals described in this paper have been translated into cost savings for ethanol. Their analysis of these goals shows that the cost of ethanol could drop by 40 cents per gallon over the next ten years by taking advantage of exciting new tools in biotechnology that will improve yield and performance in the conversion process.
- Research Organization:
- National Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO (US)
- OSTI ID:
- 20001017
- Journal Information:
- Biotechnology Progress, Vol. 15, Issue 5; Other Information: PBD: Sep-Oct 1999; ISSN 8756-7938
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Alternative Liquid Fuels Simulation Model (AltSim).
Life-cycle energy use and greenhouse gas emissions of production of bioethanol from sorghum in the United States