Potential of Waste Biomass from the Sugar Industry as a Source of Furfural and Its Derivatives for Use as Fuel Additives in Poland

Magdalena Modelska, Michal J. Binczarski, Piotr Dziugan, Szymon Nowak, Zdzisława Romanowska-Duda, Adam Sadowski and Izabela A. Witońska
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Magdalena Modelska: Institute of General and Ecological Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Lodz University of Technology, 90-924 Lodz, Poland
Michal J. Binczarski: Institute of General and Ecological Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Lodz University of Technology, 90-924 Lodz, Poland
Piotr Dziugan: Department of Environmental Biotechnology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Sciences, Lodz University of Technology, 90-924 Lodz, Poland
Szymon Nowak: Branch of the National Sugar Company, “Polski Cukier” S.A. “DOBRZELIN Sugar Factory”, 99-319 Dobrzelin, Poland
Zdzisława Romanowska-Duda: Department of Plant Ecophysiology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, 90-237 Lodz, Poland
Adam Sadowski: Faculty of Economics and Sociology, University of Lodz, 90-255 Lodz, Poland
Izabela A. Witońska: Institute of General and Ecological Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Lodz University of Technology, 90-924 Lodz, Poland

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 24, 1-15

Abstract: Poland is one of the leading producers of sugar from sugar beet in Europe. However, the production of sugar generates large amounts of lignocellulosic waste, in the form of beet pulp and leaves. Currently, this waste is not reutilized in the chemical industry, but is only used as food for farm animals. This paper assesses the potential of using bio-waste from the sugar industry as a raw material for the production of furfurals via acid hydrolysis. Further processing of furfural into derivatives such as furfuryl alcohol (FA) or tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol (THFA) could increase the economic profitability of the initiative. Furfuryl alcohol can be used as a fuel additive in sugar factories. Tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol can be used as a component in agricultural fertilizers, increasing the yield of sugar beet. This approach reduces the amount of post-production waste and brings the sugar industry closer to the concept of a circular economy.

Keywords: furfural; furfuryl alcohol; tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol; fuel additives; circular economy (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: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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