Techno-economic evaluation of third-generation bioethanol production utilizing the macroalgae waste: A case study in Malaysia

Ting Yen Chong, Siang Aun Cheah, Chin Tye Ong, Lee Yi Wong, Chern Rui Goh, Inn Shi Tan, Henry Chee Yew Foo, Man Kee Lam and Steven Lim

Energy, 2020, vol. 210, issue C

Abstract: Production of third-generation bioethanol from macroalgae cellulosic residue (MCR) has received increasing interest from researchers to utilize waste for valuable product creation effectively. In this study, a techno-economic assessment to produce anhydrous bioethanol from MCR in Malaysia had been conducted by using Aspen Plus V10 and other computer-aided softwares. Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park at Sabah was identified and selected as a proper location to produce the anhydrous bioethanol based on a framework structured by the Triple Bottom Line. The overall results from the present study showed that 15833.3 kg/h of MCR was required to produce 7626 kg/h of anhydrous bioethanol. It was also found that the energy utilization could be reduced up to 32% with net energy ratio of 0.53 after implementing the Heat Exchanges Networks Synthesis and a series of process optimization. In 20 years of plant life, the pay-back period was 8 years with an internal rate of return of 23.17%. The minimum selling price of anhydrous bioethanol was estimated to be $ 0.54/kg and able to compete with the market prices of bioethanol derived from other feedstocks.

Keywords: Bioethanol; Industrial-scale biorefinery plant design; Macroalgae waste; Malaysia; Techno-economic study (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:energy:v:210:y:2020:i:c:s0360544220315991

DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2020.118491

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