Exploring Corn Cob Gasification as a Low-Carbon Technology in the Corn Flour Industry in Mexico

Fabio Manzini, Jorge M. Islas-Samperio () and Genice K. Grande-Acosta
Additional contact information
Fabio Manzini: Instituto de Energías Renovables, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Priv. Xochicalco s/n, Col. Centro, Temixco 62580, Morelos, Mexico
Jorge M. Islas-Samperio: Instituto de Energías Renovables, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Priv. Xochicalco s/n, Col. Centro, Temixco 62580, Morelos, Mexico
Genice K. Grande-Acosta: Instituto de Energías Renovables, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Priv. Xochicalco s/n, Col. Centro, Temixco 62580, Morelos, Mexico

Energies, 2024, vol. 17, issue 10, 1-16

Abstract: In 2021, Mexico produced approximately 24.2 million tons of white corn, generating 3.6 million tons of corn cob residue. The final disposal of corn cob poses an environmental challenge in certain regions. This study examines the technical–economic feasibility and the greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation potential of integrating a small-scale cogenerating gasifier fueled by corn cob into a nixtamalized corn flour manufacturing small and medium-sized enterprise (SME). This integration enables the generation of heat and electricity from the produced synthesis gas. Moreover, the process yields residual carbon, which can be used as biochar for soil restoration and removing atmospheric CO 2 . This option holds significance for the corn flour agroindustry in Mexico, as, in 2021, it consumed approximately 601.9 GWh of electrical energy and 938,279 GJ of thermal energy from LP Gas in its manufacturing processes to produce 2.6 million tons of nixtamalized white corn flour. These processes contributed to a total emission of 410,232 tons of CO 2 into the atmosphere. The findings of this study demonstrate a cumulative reduction of 51.7% in CO 2 emissions, resulting in economic benefits of USD 85,401 in 2017 for a case study SME that annually produces 1039 tons of corn flour. This study reveals the integration of a gasifier–cogenerator system fueled by corn cob as an economically viable low-carbon technology in the corn flour manufacturing industry.

Keywords: small CHP gasification; corn cob; biochar; Mexican flour industry; low carbon technology (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: 2024
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/17/10/2256/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/17/10/2256/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jeners:v:17:y:2024:i:10:p:2256-:d:1390279

Access Statistics for this article

Energies is currently edited by Ms. Agatha Cao

More articles in Energies from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().