Potential of bioethanol as a chemical building block for biorefineries: preliminary sustainability assessment of 12 bioethanol-based products.
The aim of this study is to present and apply a quick screening method and to identify the most promising bioethanol derivatives using an early-stage sustainability assessment method that compares a bioethanol-based conversion route to its respective petrochemical counterpart. The method combines, by means of a multi-criteria approach, quantitative and qualitative proxy indicators describing economic, environmental, health and safety and operational aspects. Of twelve derivatives considered, five were categorized as favorable (diethyl ether, 1,3-butadiene, ethyl acetate, propylene and ethylene), two as promising (acetaldehyde and ethylene oxide) and five as unfavorable derivatives (acetic acid, n-butanol, isobutylene, hydrogen and acetone) for an integrated biorefinery concept.
Energy & Resources, Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University, Budapestlaan 6, NL-3584 CD Utrecht, The Netherlands. J.A.PosadaDuque@uu.nl
John A
JA
Posada
Akshay D
AD
Patel
Alexander
A
Roes
Kornelis
K
Blok
André P C
AP
Faaij
Martin K
MK
Patel
D055162:Biocatalysis; D056804:Biofuels / Q000191:economics; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D000431:Ethanol / Q000737:chemistry*
D056804:Biofuels; D000431:Ethanol