Likely features and costs of mature biomass ethanol technology
- Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH (United States)
- National Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO (United States)
Analysis is undertaken motivated by the question: What are the likely features and cost of a facility producing ethanol from cellulosic biomass at a level of maturity comparable to a refinery? This question is considered with respect to cost reductions arising from increased scale, lower-cost feedstock, and process improvements in pretreatment and biological conversion, but not other process steps. An advanced technology scenario is developed that represents our estimate of the most likely features of mature biomass ethanol technology. A best-parameter scenario, intended to be indicative of the potential for R&D-driven cost reductions, is also developed based on the best values for individual process parameters reported in the literature. Both scenarios involve large plants. Feedstock costs are taken to be $38.60/delivered dry t for the advanced scenario and $34.00/delivered dry t for the best-parameter scenario. Projected selling prices, including operating costs and capital recovery corresponding to a 14.2% return on investment, are 50 cents/gal for the advanced technology case and 34 cents/gal for the best-parameter case. These are markedly lower than the 118 cents/gal selling price projected for base-case technology, with the largest share of cost reductions due to improved conversion technology. Key conversion technology improvements include, in order of importance, consolidated bioprocessing, advanced pretreatment, elimination of seed reactors, and faster rates. First-law thermodynamic efficiencies based on the biomass high heating value and production of ethanol and electricity are 61.2% for the advanced case and 69.3% for the best-parameter case, as compared to 50.3% currently. Combining advanced ethanol production technology of the type presented here with advanced gas turbine-based power generation is a promising direction for future analysis and may offer still further cost reductions and efficiency increases. 23 refs., 1 fig., 8 tabs.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- OSTI ID:
- 598242
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-950587-; ISSN 0273-2289; TRN: 98:001503-0022
- Journal Information:
- Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Vol. 57-58; Conference: 17. symposium on biotechnology for fuels and chemicals, Vail, CO (United States), 7-11 May 1995; Other Information: PBD: Spr 1996
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
55 BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
BASIC STUDIES
BIOMASS
CAPITAL
COST
ELECTRICITY
ETHANOL
INVESTMENT
PRICES
PRODUCTION
BIOREACTORS
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
BIOCONVERSION
CHEMICAL FEEDSTOCKS
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
CAPACITY
BIOMASS CONVERSION PLANTS
REDUCTION
EFFICIENCY
FUNCTIONAL MODELS
APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
TECHNOLOGY UTILIZATION
OPTIMIZATION
SENSITIVITY
PROCESSING
NATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY LABORATORY