title: Utilization of pentoses from sugarcane biomass: techno-economics of biogas vs. butanol production.
abstract: This paper presents the techno-economics of greenfield projects of an integrated first and second-generation sugarcane biorefinery in which pentose sugars obtained from sugarcane biomass are used either for biogas (consumed internally in the power boiler) or n-butanol production via the ABE batch fermentation process. The complete sugarcane biorefinery was simulated using Aspen Plus®. Although the pentoses stream available in the sugarcane biorefinery gives room for a relatively small biobutanol plant (7.1-12 thousand tonnes per year), the introduction of butanol and acetone to the product portfolio of the biorefinery increased and diversified its revenues. Whereas the IRR of the investment on a biorefinery with biogas production is 11.3%, IRR varied between 13.1% and 15.2% in the butanol production option, depending on technology (regular or engineered microorganism with improved butanol yield and pentoses conversion) and target market (chemicals or automotive fuels). Additional discussions include the effects of energy-efficient technologies for butanol processing on the profitability of the biorefinery.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Optimization, Design and Advanced Control (LOPCA), School of Chemical Engineering - University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Av. Albert Einstein 500, CEP 13083-852 Campinas, SP, Brazil. adriano.mariano@polymtl.ca
authors.forename: Adriano Pinto
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Mariano
authors.forename: Marina O S
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Dias
authors.forename: Tassia L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Junqueira
authors.forename: Marcelo P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Cunha
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bonomi
authors.forename: Rubens Maciel
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Filho
mesh_terms: D056804:Biofuels; D018533:Biomass; D000440:Butanols / Q000378:metabolism*; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D010429:Pentoses / Q000378:metabolism*; D031786:Saccharum / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D056804:Biofuels; D000440:Butanols; D010429:Pentoses
keywords: Biogas; Biorefinery; Butanol; Pentoses; Sugarcane