Assessing the Feasibility of Enzymatic Biodiesel Production Using the 5W2H Framework: A Brazilian Case Study with Distiller’s Corn Oil

Victor Hugo Souza de Abreu (), Mariane Gonzalez da Costa, Tássia Faria de Assis, Márcio de Almeida D’Agosto, Rejane Silva Rocha, Luís Otávio Días de Paula and Arsénio Massautso Simoco Laissone
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Victor Hugo Souza de Abreu: Transport Engineering Department, Polytechnic School, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-909, Brazil
Mariane Gonzalez da Costa: Transport Engineering Programme, Alberto Luiz Coimbra Institute for Graduate Studies and Engineering Research, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-914, Brazil
Tássia Faria de Assis: Transport Engineering Programme, Alberto Luiz Coimbra Institute for Graduate Studies and Engineering Research, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-914, Brazil
Márcio de Almeida D’Agosto: Transport Engineering Programme, Alberto Luiz Coimbra Institute for Graduate Studies and Engineering Research, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-914, Brazil
Rejane Silva Rocha: Coppecomb Laboratory, Alberto Luiz Coimbra Institute for Graduate Studies and Engineering Research, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-914, Brazil
Luís Otávio Días de Paula: Coppecomb Laboratory, Alberto Luiz Coimbra Institute for Graduate Studies and Engineering Research, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-914, Brazil
Arsénio Massautso Simoco Laissone: Coppecomb Laboratory, Alberto Luiz Coimbra Institute for Graduate Studies and Engineering Research, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-914, Brazil

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 20, 1-32

Abstract: This study adopts the 5W2H management tool to investigate the opportunities and challenges of enzymatic biodiesel production from residual oils. The methodological approach enables a structured evaluation of technical, economic, environmental, and governance aspects, clarifying critical conditions for feasibility and scalability. To illustrate this framework, the research applies it to the Brazilian biofuel sector, focusing on the valorization of Distillers Corn Oil (DCO), a by-product of corn ethanol production not intended for human consumption. Results show that enzymatic conversion of DCO can reduce feedstock costs by more than 50% and energy demand by up to 86.8% compared with conventional chemical processes. Nevertheless, the scalability of this technology faces critical barriers, such as enzyme costs, reaction times, and regulatory uncertainties. The study concluded that public–private partnerships and targeted policies, such as those under Brazil’s National Biodiesel Program (PNPB), are essential to overcoming these challenges and bridging the “valley of death” toward commercialization. By combining technical, economic, and governance perspectives, the study demonstrates that DCO-based enzymatic biodiesel has the potential to reinforce Brazil’s role in the global biofuels market while promoting a circular and sustainable energy transition.

Keywords: advanced biodiesel; enzymatic process; residual oil; distiller’s corn oil; Brazil (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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