Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

Second generation biofuels are a good alternative to replace fossil fuel in the transport sector, such as ethanol production from lignocellulose. The technology is not working at full scale yet, partly due to high investment costs. To reduce these costs, one possibility is the integration of ethanol production in a combined heat and power plant (CHP).

This report studies the feasibility of this combination, from a technical point of view, checking if the requirements for ethanol production are fulfilled if ethanol production and CHP’s are integrated. The scenarios with 4,5 ton/h of straw and 8 ton/hour of wood pellet can generate between 2,18 and 2,52 ton/h ethanol, and assuming that Sweden has the potential to produce 1,5 million ton/year of biofuel, it could be possible to replace around 12% the fossil fuel consumption.

This assessment indicates that the steam requirements of lignocellulose based biofuel production can be integrated with an existing CHP.