Life Cycle Assessment of a Cassava-Based Ethanol–Biogas–CHP System: Unlocking Negative Emissions Through WDGS Valorization

Juntian Xu, Linchi Jiang, Rui Li () and Yulong Wu ()
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Juntian Xu: MOE Engineering Center of Forestry Biomass Materials and Bioenergy, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
Linchi Jiang: MOE Engineering Center of Forestry Biomass Materials and Bioenergy, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
Rui Li: MOE Engineering Center of Forestry Biomass Materials and Bioenergy, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
Yulong Wu: School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830046, China

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 17, 1-22

Abstract: To address the high fossil energy dependency and the low-value utilization of stillage (WDGS) in conventional cassava-based ethanol production—factors that increase greenhouse gas emissions and limit overall sustainability—this study develops an integrated ethanol–biogas–CHP system that valorizes stillage and enhances energy recovery. Three process scenarios were designed and evaluated through life cycle assessment (LCA) and techno-economic analysis: Case-I (WDGS dried and sold as animal feed), Case-II (stillage anaerobically digested for biogas used for heat), and Case-III (biogas further utilized in a combined heat and power system). Process simulation was conducted in Aspen Plus V11, while environmental impacts were quantified with the CML 2001 methodology under a cradle-to-gate boundary across six categories, including global warming potential (GWP) and abiotic depletion potential (ADP). Results show that Case-III achieves the highest environmental and economic performance, with a net GWP of −1515.05 kg CO 2 -eq/ton ethanol and the greatest profit of 396.80 USD/ton of ethanol, attributed to internal energy self-sufficiency and surplus electricity generation. Sensitivity analysis further confirms Case-III’s robustness under variations in transportation distance and electricity demand. Overall, valorizing cassava stillage through biogas–CHP integration significantly improves the sustainability of ethanol production, offering a practical pathway toward low-carbon bioenergy with potential for negative emissions. This study fills a gap in previous life cycle research by jointly assessing WDGS utilization pathways with techno-economic evaluation, providing actionable insights for carbon-neutral bioenergy policies in cassava-producing regions. Certain limitations, such as software version and data accessibility, remain to be addressed in future work.

Keywords: cassava ethanol; life cycle assessment (LCA); wet distillers grains with solubles (WDGS); anaerobic digestion; combined heat and power (CHP); bioenergy system optimization (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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