The Experts below are selected from a list of 3699 Experts worldwide ranked by ideXlab platform
Madhu Khanna - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
-
costs of meeting a Cellulosic Biofuel mandate with perennial energy crops implications for policy
Energy Economics, 2017Co-Authors: Ruiqing Miao, Madhu KhannaAbstract:Abstract We develop an analytical framework to examine the extent to which farmers' risk and time preferences, availability of credit to cover establishment cost, and subsidized crop insurance for conventional crops influence the decision to allocate land to a perennial energy crop and affect the costs of meeting a Biofuel mandate using this crop as feedstock and its implications for the effectiveness of two alternative policies to supplement the mandate: an establishment cost subsidy and subsidized energy crop insurance. We examine the design of these policies to minimize the total (public and private) costs for meeting a one-billion-gallon Biofuel mandate by using miscanthus as feedstock. We find that a high degree of risk aversion, high discount rate, credit constraint, and availability of crop insurance for conventional crops can increase the cost of producing enough biomass for a one-billion-gallon Biofuel mandate by up to 43% and increase the land required by 16% as compared to otherwise; removal of subsidized crop insurance and credit constraints could lower these costs by 50%. We find that in most cases the cost-effective energy crop insurance subsidy rate is 0% whereas the cost-effective establishment cost subsidy rate is 100%. Relative to the case with no policy intervention for energy crops, energy crop insurance can reduce the total costs (net of government expenditures on subsidies) of meeting the 1 billion gallon mandate by 1.3% whereas establishment cost subsidy can reduce these costs by 34%.
-
costs of meeting the Cellulosic Biofuel mandate with perennial energy crops implications for policy
2015Co-Authors: Ruiqing Miao, Madhu KhannaAbstract:We develop a framework to examine the extent to which farmers’ risk and time preferences, availability of credit to cover establishment cost, and crop insurance for conventional crops may influence farmers’ decision to allocate land to a perennial energy crop and affect the costs of meeting a Biofuel mandate using this crop. We analyze the economic rationale for supplementing a mandate with two alternative policies: an establishment cost subsidy and subsidized energy crop insurance and examine the total (public and private) costs and land requirements of providing biomass for meeting a one-billion-gallon Biofuel mandate by using miscanthus as a feedstock.
-
costs of meeting the Cellulosic Biofuel mandate with an energy crop with establishment cost and yield risk implications for policy
2015 Conference August 9-14 2015 Milan Italy, 2015Co-Authors: Ruiqing Miao, Madhu KhannaAbstract:We develop a framework to examine the extent to which farmers’ risk and time preferences, availability of credit to cover establishment cost, and crop insurance for conventional crops may influence farmers’ decision to allocate land to a perennial energy crop and, therefore, the total costs of meeting a Cellulosic Biofuel mandate using this crop. We also investigate the cost-effectiveness of two supplementary policies to the mandate: an establishment cost subsidy and subsidized energy crop insurance, which may achieve the targeted level of biomass production more cost-effectively than the mandate alone. We apply this framework to examine the total costs and land requirements of providing biomass for meeting a one-billion-gallon Cellulosic Biofuel mandate by using miscanthus as a feedstock while accounting for temporal and spatial variability in miscanthus yields relative to those of conventional crops at a county level across the U.S. rainfed region.
-
technology uncertainty and learning by doing in the Cellulosic Biofuel investment
Research Papers in Economics, 2014Co-Authors: Nick Paulson, Madhu KhannaAbstract:This study investigates the impacts of technology uncertainties and learning curve on investment decisions in the Cellulosic Biofuel industry. We find the future success of Cellulosic Biofuel may depend on the learning by doing effects rather than expected advances in conversion technology. The anticipated technology breakthroughs may even further delay investment decisions because the firm has incentives to wait until the breakthrough is realized. If the government wants to trigger commercialized production through the promotion of learning effects, an enforced mandate level of at least 500 million gallons may be needed.
-
land use and greenhouse gas implications of Biofuels role of technology and policy
Climate Change Economics, 2012Co-Authors: Xiaoguang Chen, Haixiao Huang, Madhu KhannaAbstract:This paper examines the changes in land use in the U.S. likely to be induced by Biofuel and climate policies and the implications of these policies for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions over the 2007–2022 period. The policies considered here include a modified Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) by itself as well as combined with a Cellulosic Biofuel tax credit or a carbon price policy. We use a dynamic, spatial, multi-market equilibrium model, Biofuel and Environmental Policy Analysis Model (BEPAM), to endogenously determine the effects of these policies on cropland allocation, food and fuel prices, and the mix of first- and second-generation Biofuels. We find that the RFS could be met by diverting 6% of cropland for Biofuel production and would result in corn prices increasing by 16% in 2002 relative to the business-as-usual baseline. The reduction in GHG emissions in the U.S. due to the RFS is about 2%; these domestic GHG savings can be severely eroded by emissions due to indirect land-use changes and the increase in gasoline consumption in the rest of the world. Supplementing the RFS with a carbon price policy or a Cellulosic Biofuel tax credit induces a switch away from corn ethanol to Cellulosic Biofuels and achieves the mandated level of Biofuel production with a smaller adverse impact on crop prices. These supplementary policies enhance the GHG savings achieved by the RFS alone, although through different mechanisms; greater production of Cellulosic Biofuels with the tax credit but larger reduction in fossil fuel consumption with a carbon tax.
Bruce E Dale - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
-
Cellulosic Biofuel contributions to a sustainable energy future choices and outcomes
Science, 2017Co-Authors: Philip G Robertson, Stephen K Hamilton, Bradford L Barham, Bruce E Dale, Cesar R IzaurraldeAbstract:BACKGROUND Cellulosic Biofuels offer environmental benefits not available from grain-based Biofuels and are a cornerstone of efforts to meet transportation fuel needs in a future low-carbon economy, even with electrified vehicles and other advances. Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) is also key to almost all Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change mitigation scenarios that constrain end-of-century atmospheric CO 2 to 450 parts per million. Some Cellulosic feedstocks can come from industrial and agricultural by-products or from winter cover crops, but a substantial fraction must come from Cellulosic biomass crops—perennial grasses and short-rotation trees planted for this purpose. Land requirements, however, are substantial and raise crucial questions about the environmental sustainability of a future bioenergy economy. First, if planted on existing croplands, will Biofuel crops increase food prices or lead to the establishment of new cropland elsewhere, with concomitant climate harm? Second, will planting Biofuel crops diminish biodiversity, especially if non-native or invasive species are cultivated on land with existing conservation value? Third, might perennial Biofuel crops use more water than the vegetation they replace, leading to lower water tables and reduced surface water flows? And finally, if crops are fertilized, how much additional reactive nitrogen might be added to a biosphere already overburdened? ADVANCES Recent empirical findings have shed considerable light on these questions. Broad generalizations are difficult, but we know now, for example, that planting perennial Cellulosic Biofuel crops on marginal lands—that is, land not currently used for food production because of low fertility, environmental sensitivity, or other reasons—can potentially avoid food-fuel conflict and indirect land-use change effects while providing substantial climate benefits. The direct carbon costs of establishing crops on such lands can be minimized by avoiding tillage and by avoiding land with large existing carbon stocks, such as forests and wetlands. Diverse plantings provide multiple ecosystem services including wildlife conservation, pollination, and pest protection that can benefit neighboring crops; relatively little plant diversity can provide disproportionately large benefits. Biofuel crops can be planted that require little if any nitrogen fertilizer, thus avoiding its environmental impact. And although different crops have different water-use efficiencies, most crops examined appear to evapotranspire about the same proportion of growing season rainfall, suggesting little impact on landscape water balances in humid temperate regions. It is also clear that there is no best crop for all locations even within a single region, and that all choices involve trade-offs. For example, highly productive non-native species can maximize climate benefits but harm biodiversity. Balancing trade-offs entails societal choices. OUTLOOK Many questions about Cellulosic Biofuel sustainability remain. Still needed is an integrated understanding of the entire field-to-product enterprise sufficient to leverage synergies and to avoid trade-offs that can diminish environmental benefits. More specifically, and of particular importance, is the need for knowledge to facilitate the successful cultivation of highly productive native species on marginal lands, where plant growth is often limited by abiotic stressors. Harnessing the plant microbiome to help ameliorate environmental stress is a major untapped frontier, as is the potential for microbiome-assisted soil carbon gain. The promise of Cellulosic Biofuels for helping to create a more sustainable energy future is bright, but additional effort is required, including policies and incentives to motivate farmers to grow appropriate crops in appropriate places in sustainable ways. We must be careful to facilitate genuine climate mitigation that enhances rather than diminishes other ecosystem services. The planet deserves no less.
-
Cellulosic Biofuel contributions to a sustainable energy future choices and outcomes
Science, 2017Co-Authors: Philip G Robertson, Stephen K Hamilton, Bradford L Barham, Bruce E Dale, Cesar R IzaurraldeAbstract:Cellulosic crops are projected to provide a large fraction of transportation energy needs by mid-century. However, the anticipated land requirements are substantial, which creates a potential for environmental harm if trade-offs are not sufficiently well understood to create appropriately prescriptive policy. Recent empirical findings show that Cellulosic bioenergy concerns related to climate mitigation, biodiversity, reactive nitrogen loss, and crop water use can be addressed with appropriate crop, placement, and management choices. In particular, growing native perennial species on marginal lands not currently farmed provides substantial potential for climate mitigation and other benefits.
-
Advanced Regional Biomass Processing Depots: A key to the logistical challenges of the Cellulosic Biofuel industry
Biofuels Bioproducts and Biorefining, 2011Co-Authors: Pragnya L. Eranki, Bryan Bals, Bruce E DaleAbstract:Interest in commercially viable Cellulosic Biofuel production has greatly increased due to concerns regarding the sustainability of petroleum fuels. While research into solving the technical issues surrounding cel- lulosic Biofuels is ongoing, much less attention has been paid to solving supply chain challenges such as low bulk density of Cellulosic biomass, compositional variability and seasonality of the feedstock, food vs fuel issues, and local environmental concerns. To address these supply chain problems, we explore the concept of Regional Biomass Processing Depots (RBPDs), strategically distributed facilities that procure, pre-process /pre-treat and densify biomass into stable intermediate products that are compatible with existing bulk commodity logisti- cal systems. In this perspective, we discuss the fundamental concept of RBPDs, their functionality, advantages, and potential challenges. We then extend the analysis of depots to include enhanced confi gurations and discuss some technologies that might be deployed in RBPD networks and the valuable coproducts that might be pro- duced via synergies among these technologies. © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
-
Economic comparison of multiple techniques for recovering leaf protein in biomass processing.
Biotechnology and bioengineering, 2010Co-Authors: Bryan Bals, Bruce E DaleAbstract:Leaf protein concentrates (LPC) can be used as a valuable co-product to Cellulosic Biofuel production and can also mitigate the food versus fuel controversy. Two major approaches have been considered for LPC production: a well-characterized mechanical pressing method and a less studied method involving aqueous extraction with recovery using ultrafiltration. Experimental results with switchgrass extracts show low protein recovery after filtration, particularly if protein is recovered after cellulose hydrolysis. Economic modeling suggests that aqueous extraction costs less than mechanical pressing, but due to lower protein yields and lower quality, overall profit is higher for mechanical pressing versus aqueous extraction ($26/Mg feedstock vs. $14/Mg). If modest improvements can be made in extraction yields, filtration recovery, and protein quality, then the profitability of the aqueous extraction approach can be increased to $37/Mg feedstock. This study suggests that aqueous extraction is a viable alternative for LPC co-production in a biorefinery if key improvements can be made in the process.
Tristan R Brown - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
-
stochastic techno economic evaluation of Cellulosic Biofuel pathways
The Dynamic Energy Landscape 33rd USAEE IAEE North American Conference Oct 25-28 2015, 2015Co-Authors: Xin Zhao, Tristan R Brown, Wallace E TynerAbstract:This study evaluates the economic feasibility and stochastic dominance rank of eight Cellulosic Biofuel production pathways (including gasification, pyrolysis, liquefaction, and fermentation) under technological and economic uncertainty. A techno-economic assessment based financial analysis is employed to derive net present values and breakeven prices for each pathway. Uncertainty is investigated and incorporated into fuel prices and techno-economic variables: capital cost, conversion technology yield, hydrogen cost, natural gas price and feedstock cost using @Risk, a Palisade Corporation software. The results indicate that none of the eight pathways would be profitable at expected values under projected energy prices. Fast pyrolysis and hydroprocessing (FPH) has the lowest breakeven fuel price at 3.11$/gallon of gasoline equivalent (0.82$/liter of gasoline equivalent). With the projected energy prices, FPH investors could expect a 59% probability of loss. Stochastic dominance is done based on return on investment. Most risk-averse decision makers would prefer FPH to other pathways.
-
a techno economic review of thermochemical Cellulosic Biofuel pathways
Bioresource Technology, 2015Co-Authors: Tristan R BrownAbstract:Recent advances in the thermochemical processing of biomass have resulted in efforts to commercialize several Cellulosic Biofuel pathways. Until commercial-scale production is achieved, however, techno-economic analysis is a useful methodology for quantifying the economic competitiveness of these pathways with petroleum, providing one indication of their long-term feasibility under the U.S. revised Renewable Fuel Standard. This review paper covers techno-economic analyses of thermochemical Cellulosic Biofuel pathways in the open literature, discusses and compares their results, and recommends the adoption of additional analytical methodologies that will increase the value of future pathway analyses.
-
a framework for defining the economic feasibility of Cellulosic Biofuel pathways
Biofuels, 2014Co-Authors: Tristan R Brown, Mark M WrightAbstract:This paper incorporates pathway-specific financial assumptions into techno-economic analyses of Cellulosic Biofuel pathways under price uncertainty. Five Cellulosic Biofuel pathway scenarios are developed in a discounted cash flow rate of return spreadsheet to determine pathway-specific costs of debt. The cost of equity for the scenarios is calculated based on the financial characteristics of the US biorenewable industrial sector. A 20-year net present value (NPV) and probability of default for each scenario are stochastically calculated. Mean NPVs vary from a low of –$774 million to a high of –$135 million. Probabilities of default range from a high of 100% to a low of 80.5%. Sensitivity analyses find that the use of pathway-neutral financial assumptions overestimates NPV and underestimates probability of default.
-
techno economic impacts of shale gas on Cellulosic Biofuel pathways
Fuel, 2014Co-Authors: Tristan R Brown, Mark M WrightAbstract:Abstract This analysis quantifies the economic feasibility of Cellulosic Biofuel pathways under fossil fuel price uncertainty. Eight pathway scenarios are developed on the basis of existing techno-economic analyses and projected fossil fuel commodity prices from the Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) 2010 Annual Energy Outlook (AEO). A 20-year net present value (NPV) is then calculated for each pathway scenario. Uncertainty distributions are developed for each pathway scenario by fitting historical monthly price variance distribution curves for each fossil fuel commodity to their projected annual prices. Finally, a sensitivity analysis is completed by replacing the EIA’s AEO 2010 projected prices with those from its AEO 2013, the latter incorporating recent exploitation of U.S. shale gas reserves into its projections. The results of this analysis indicate that fast pyrolysis scenarios see the greatest increase in estimated NPV value followed by gasification and acetic acid synthesis scenarios. Fischer–Tropsch synthesis scenarios remain largely unaffected by the updated EIA projections. Methanol-to-gasoline and enzymatic hydrolysis NPVs decrease as a result of lower projections for fossil fuel prices.
-
a review of Cellulosic Biofuel commercial scale projects in the united states
Biofuels Bioproducts and Biorefining, 2013Co-Authors: Tristan R Brown, Robert C BrownAbstract:In contrast to a few years ago, when Cellulosic ethanol via enzymatic hydrolysis was the only widely recognized technology for commercially producing Cellulosic Biofuels, a diversity of approaches are currently under commercial development. While no commercial-scale (≥20 million gallons per year) Cellulosic Biofuel facilities are operating at present, at least ten biorefinery projects employing six different pathways are expected to begin operations by 2014. These biorefineries will employ the following pathways: (i) catalytic pyrolysis and hydrotreating to hydrocarbons; (ii) gasification and Fischer-Tropsch synthesis to hydrocarbons; (iii) gasification and methanol-to-gasoline synthesis; (iv) dilute acid hydrolysis, fermentation to acetic acid, and chemical synthesis to ethanol; (v) enzymatic hydrolysis to ethanol; and (vi) consolidated bioprocessing (single-step enzyme production, hydrolysis, and fermentation) to ethanol. This review provides an overview of the six pathway technologies, comprehensive descriptions of each of the ten biorefinery projects, and a discussion of the current direction of Cellulosic Biofuel commercialization efforts and its implications for the revised Renewable Fuel Standard. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons Ltd
Xiaoguang Chen - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
-
renewable energy policies and competition for biomass implications for land use food prices and processing industry
Energy Policy, 2016Co-Authors: Xiaoguang Chen, Hayri OnalAbstract:We use a mathematical programming model to examine the impacts of simultaneous implementation of two US Biofuel and bioenergy policies on commodity markets and spatial distribution of future Cellulosic biorefineries. The key findings based on our numerical simulation are: (1) the number and average annual production capacity of Cellulosic Biofuel refineries depend on the total renewable fuels mandate; (2) the mix of Cellulosic biomass feedstock depends on the assumptions about the production costs of energy crops and the amount of cropland that can be used for energy crops, but regardless of the assumptions crop residues are the primary biomass source to meet the demand for biomass for Biofuel production and electricity generation; and (3) the biomass production areas would surround either future Cellulosic biorefineries or the existing coal-based power plants to reduce the costs of biomass transportation. These findings have important implications for biorefinery investors and provide valuable policy insights for the selection of Biomass Crop Assistance Program project areas.
-
land use and greenhouse gas implications of Biofuels role of technology and policy
Climate Change Economics, 2012Co-Authors: Xiaoguang Chen, Haixiao Huang, Madhu KhannaAbstract:This paper examines the changes in land use in the U.S. likely to be induced by Biofuel and climate policies and the implications of these policies for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions over the 2007–2022 period. The policies considered here include a modified Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) by itself as well as combined with a Cellulosic Biofuel tax credit or a carbon price policy. We use a dynamic, spatial, multi-market equilibrium model, Biofuel and Environmental Policy Analysis Model (BEPAM), to endogenously determine the effects of these policies on cropland allocation, food and fuel prices, and the mix of first- and second-generation Biofuels. We find that the RFS could be met by diverting 6% of cropland for Biofuel production and would result in corn prices increasing by 16% in 2002 relative to the business-as-usual baseline. The reduction in GHG emissions in the U.S. due to the RFS is about 2%; these domestic GHG savings can be severely eroded by emissions due to indirect land-use changes and the increase in gasoline consumption in the rest of the world. Supplementing the RFS with a carbon price policy or a Cellulosic Biofuel tax credit induces a switch away from corn ethanol to Cellulosic Biofuels and achieves the mandated level of Biofuel production with a smaller adverse impact on crop prices. These supplementary policies enhance the GHG savings achieved by the RFS alone, although through different mechanisms; greater production of Cellulosic Biofuels with the tax credit but larger reduction in fossil fuel consumption with a carbon tax.
-
land use and greenhouse gas implications of Biofuels role of technology and policy
Social Science Research Network, 2012Co-Authors: Xiaoguang Chen, Haixiao Huang, Madhu KhannaAbstract:This paper examines the changes in land use in the U.S. likely to be induced by Biofuel and climate policies and the implications of these policies for GHG emissions over the 2007-2022 period. The policies considered here include a modified Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) by itself as well as combined with a Cellulosic Biofuel tax credit or a carbon price policy. We use a dynamic, spatial, multi-market equilibrium model, Biofuel and Environmental Policy Analysis Model (BEPAM), to endogenously determine the effects of these policies on cropland allocation, food and fuel prices, and the mix of first- and second-generation Biofuels. We find that the RFS could be met by diverting 6% of cropland for Biofuel production and would result in corn prices increasing by 16% in 2002 relative to the business-as-usual baseline. The reduction in GHG emissions in the U.S. due to the RFS is about 2%; these domestic GHG savings can be severely eroded by emissions due to indirect land use changes and the increase in gasoline consumption in the rest of the world. Supplementing the RFS with a carbon price policy or a Cellulosic Biofuel tax credit induces a switch away from corn ethanol to Cellulosic Biofuels and achieves the mandated level of Biofuel production with a smaller adverse impact on crop prices. These supplementary policies enhance the GHG savings achieved by the RFS alone, although through different mechanisms; greater production of Cellulosic Biofuels with the tax credit but larger reduction in fossil fuel consumption with a carbon tax.
-
supply of Cellulosic Biofuel feedstocks and regional production pattern
American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 2011Co-Authors: Madhu Khanna, Xiaoguang Chen, Haixiao Huang, Hayri OnalAbstract:This paper uses a dynamic, multi-market, nonlinear mathematical programming model, Biofuel and Environmental Policy Analysis Model (BEPAM) to first examine the economically viable supply of agricultural biomass at various biomass prices and the mix of Cellulosic feedstocks that will be produced at these prices. It also examines this relationship under alternative assumptions about costs of production of these feedstocks, productivity of perennial grasses and the availability of land. Second, it examines the regional pattern of production of various Cellulosic feedstocks and the spatial mix of feedstock production. Our analysis shows that 617-923 MMT of biomass can be produced in 2030 at a price of $140/MT depending on residue collection technology, costs of producing bioenergy crops and their yields and land availability. At that price, it would lead to the use of about 18 M ha of idle cropland or cropland pasture for perennial grasses.
-
supply of Cellulosic Biofuel feedstocks and regional production pattern
American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 2011Co-Authors: Madhu Khanna, Xiaoguang Chen, Haixiao Huang, Hayri OnalAbstract:Interest in Cellulosic Biofuels has grown due to recent concerns about the impact of expanding production of corn ethanol on food prices and the greater potential of Cellulosic Biofuels to mitigate climate change. The Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007 limits the production of corn ethanol to 56 billion liters after 2015 and mandates the production of at least 80 of the 136 billion liters of ethanol from non–corn starch–based Cellulosic feedstocks by 2022. The Biomass Research and Development Act of 2000 had established an even more ambitious goal of using biomass to replace the equivalent of 30% of current petroleum consumption by 2030 and estimated that this would require 1 billion dry (short) tons of biomass annually (U.S. Department of Energy [USDOE 2003]). Biomass can be obtained from several different sources, including forest resources, crop residues,woody biomass,and perennial grasses. A USDA/USDOE report (Perlack et al. 2005) examined the technical feasibility of sustaining this supply of biomass and the land resources that would be required under alternative scenarios with yield-enhancing and other technological changes in conventional crops and perennial bioenergy crops. The study estimated that 0.54 to 1 billion dry tons of agricultural crop-based biomass could be obtained annually from cropland, idle cropland, and cropland pasture with moderate to high productivity gains in crop productivity, residue collection, and tillage practices.
Seema Singh - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
-
life cycle greenhouse gas and water intensity of Cellulosic Biofuel production using cholinium lysinate ionic liquid pretreatment
ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, 2017Co-Authors: Binod Neupane, Blake A Simmons, Seema Singh, N Murthy V S N Konda, Corinne D ScownAbstract:Cellulosic Biofuels present an opportunity to meet a significant fraction of liquid transportation fuel demand with renewable, low-carbon alternatives. Certain ionic liquids (ILs) have proven effective at facilitating hydrolysis of lignocellulose to produce fermentable sugars with high yields. Although their negligible vapor pressure and low flammability make ILs attractive solvents at the point of use, their life-cycle environmental impacts have not been investigated in the context of Cellulosic biorefineries. This study provides the first life-cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) and water use inventory for Biofuels produced using IL pretreatment. We explore two corn stover-to-ethanol process configurations: the conventional water-wash (WW) route and the more recently developed integrated high gravity (iHG) route, which eliminates washing steps after pretreatment. Our results are based on the use of a representative IL, cholinium lysinate ([Ch][Lys]). We find that the WW process results in unacceptably high GHG e...
-
understanding cost drivers and economic potential of two variants of ionic liquid pretreatment for Cellulosic Biofuel production
Biotechnology for Biofuels, 2014Co-Authors: Nvsn Murthy Konda, Seema Singh, Harvey W Blanch, Blake A Simmons, Daniel KleinmarcuschamerAbstract:Ionic liquid (IL) pretreatment could enable an economically viable route to produce Biofuels by providing efficient means to extract sugars and lignin from lignoCellulosic biomass. However, to realize this, novel IL-based processes need to be developed in order to minimize the overall production costs and accelerate commercial viability. In this study, two variants of IL-based processes are considered: one based on complete removal of the IL prior to hydrolysis using a water-wash (WW) step and the other based on a “one-pot” (OP) process that does not require IL removal prior to saccharification. Detailed techno-economic analysis (TEA) of these two routes was carried out to understand the cost drivers, economic potential (minimum ethanol selling price, MESP), and relative merits and challenges of each route. At high biomass loading (50%), both routes exhibited comparable economic performance with an MESP of $6.3/gal. With the possible advances identified (reduced water or acid/base consumption, improved conversion in pretreatment, and lignin valorization), the MESP could be reduced to around $3/gal ($3.2 in the WW route and $2.8 in the OP route). It was found that, to be competitive at industrial scale, lowered cost of ILs used and higher biomass loadings (50%) are essential for both routes, and in particular for the OP route. Overall, while the economic potential of both routes appears to be comparable at higher biomass loadings, the OP route showed the benefit of lower water consumption at the plant level, an important cost and sustainability consideration for biorefineries.