scholarly journals Techno-Economic Assessment of Polysaccharide Extraction from Baobab: A Scale Up Analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (17) ◽  
pp. 9915
Author(s):  
Maria Dimopoulou ◽  
Vivian Offiah ◽  
Kolawole Falade ◽  
Alan M. Smith ◽  
Vassilis Kontogiorgos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Operating Cost ◽  
Scale Up ◽  
Economic Assessment ◽  
Extraction Process ◽  
Local Economy ◽  
Selling Price ◽  
Capital Costs ◽  
Technoeconomic Analysis ◽  
A Value ◽  
The Uk

This research studied the commercial exploitation of an indigenous African crop in order to formulate high value products, with a potential significant impact on the local economy. More specifically, the present work investigated the extraction of polysaccharides from baobab in a bench-scale unit, focusing on the overall yield and the techno-economic assessment of the extraction process. Preliminary technoeconomic analysis for two scenarios (with and without ethanol recycling) was performed to determine the economic viability of the process and the development of the baobab market both in Nigeria and the UK. A full economic analysis was undertaken for each of the two scenarios, considering all operating and capital costs, and the production cost of baobab polysaccharides was estimated based on a constant return on investment. Combining the operating cost with the average polysaccharide yield, the minimum profitable selling price in the UK was estimated to be between £23 and £35 per 100 g of polysaccharide, which is comparable to the commercial selling price of high purity polysaccharides. An assessment of a scaled-up plant was also performed under Nigerian conditions and the results showed that such an investment is potentially viable and profitable, with a minimum profitable selling price of £27 per 100 g, a value comparable to the UK-based scenarios.

scholarly journals Techno-Economic Assessment of Whey Protein-Based Plastic Production from a Co-Polymerization Process

Polymers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 847
Author(s):  
Bushra Chalermthai ◽  
Muhammad Tahir Ashraf ◽  
Juan-Rodrigo Bastidas-Oyanedel ◽  
Bradley D. Olsen ◽  
Jens Ejbye Schmidt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Whey Protein ◽  
Operating Cost ◽  
Economic Assessment ◽  
Sensitivity Analyses ◽  
Polymerization Process ◽  
Whey Protein Concentrate ◽  
Base Case ◽  
Selling Price ◽  
Scale Production ◽  
Payback Time

Bio-based plastics, produced from natural and renewable sources, have been found to be good replacers to petroleum-based plastics. However, economic analyses have not been carried out for most of them, specifically those from whey. In this study, a techno-economic assessment of the industrial-scale production of plastics from whey protein is carried out considering two different scenarios: (1) low-cost dairy waste whey (DWP) and (2) purchased whey protein concentrate (WPC), as feedstocks, using SuperPro Designer software. Key economic indicators such as operating cost, capital investment, annual revenue, payback time, and return-on-investment (ROI), were analyzed. Sensitivity analyses of different parameters were performed to account for market fluctuations and other uncertainties, using Scenario 2 as the base case. Results showed that both scenarios have the capacity of producing over 3200 metric tons/year (t/yr) (or 5.5 t/batch) of plastic. With the unit selling price of plastic set at $7,000/t, both the scenarios showed profitable outcomes with the plant’s payback time of 3.7 and 2.4 years, and ROI of 27.1% and 42.2%, for Scenario 1 and Scenario 2, respectively. Sensitivity analyses showed that the unit plastic selling price was the most sensitive parameter, followed by the amount of feedstock WPC, and the number of batches.

Future challenges to asset investment in the UK water industry: the wastewater asset investment risk mitigation offered by minimising principal operating cost risks

2010 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. J. Palmer
Keyword(s):  
Best Practice ◽  
Cost Benefit Analysis ◽  
Risk Mitigation ◽  
Operating Cost ◽  
Price Volatility ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Water Industry ◽  
Capital Costs ◽  
Practice Approach ◽  
The Uk

This paper defines challenges currently facing the water industry globally that will affect water industry asset investment and development now and in the near future. Those challenges include energy price volatility, climate change regulation, asset capital costs and strategic resource considerations. This paper presents potential answers to these challenges in the context of the UK water industry and described a methodology developed to assess them and provide accurate cost-benefit analysis. A best practice approach which allows sustainable investment to offer water utilities operational efficiency benefits, including cost benefits, is described and the critical elements of the best practice developed by the author identified.

scholarly journals Techno-Economic Assessment of Co-Hydrothermal Carbonization of a Coal-Miscanthus Blend

Energies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 630 ◽  
Author(s):  
Akbar Saba ◽  
Kyle McGaughy ◽  
M. Reza
Keyword(s):  
Sensitivity Analysis ◽  
Solid Fuel ◽  
Subcritical Water ◽  
Economic Assessment ◽  
Hydrothermal Carbonization ◽  
Plant Size ◽  
Selling Price ◽  
Maintenance Costs ◽  
Technoeconomic Analysis ◽  
Thermochemical Process

Co-Hydrothermal Carbonization (Co-HTC) is a thermochemical process, where coal and biomass were treated simultaneously in subcritical water, resulting in bulk-homogenous hydrochar that is carbon-rich and a hydrophobic solid fuel with combustion characteristics like coal. In this study, technoeconomic analysis of Co-HTC was performed for a scaled-up Co-HTC plant that produces fuel for 110 MWe coal-fired power plant using Clarion coal #4a and miscanthus as starting feedstocks. With precise mass and energy balance of the Co-HTC process, sizing of individual equipment was conducted based on various systems equations. Cost of electricity was calculated from estimated capital, manufacturing, and operating and maintenance costs. The breakeven selling price of Co-HTC hydrochar was $117 per ton for a 110 MWe. Sensitivity analysis indicates that this breakeven selling price could be as low as $106 per ton for a higher capacity plant. Besides plant size, the price of solid fuel is sensitive to the feedstock costs and hydrochar yield.

Biorefinery implementation for recovery debottlenecking at existing pulp mills- Part II: Techno-economic evaluation

TAPPI Journal ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 17-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
HAKIM GHEZZAZ ◽  
LUC PELLETIER ◽  
PAUL R. STUART
Keyword(s):  
Cost Estimation ◽  
Process Model ◽  
Black Liquor ◽  
Pulp Mill ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Economic Assessment ◽  
Extraction Process ◽  
Estimation Methods ◽  
Precipitation Process

The evaluation and process risk assessment of (a) lignin precipitation from black liquor, and (b) the near-neutral hemicellulose pre-extraction for recovery boiler debottlenecking in an existing pulp mill is presented in Part I of this paper, which was published in the July 2012 issue of TAPPI Journal. In Part II, the economic assessment of the two biorefinery process options is presented and interpreted. A mill process model was developed using WinGEMS software and used for calculating the mass and energy balances. Investment costs, operating costs, and profitability of the two biorefinery options have been calculated using standard cost estimation methods. The results show that the two biorefinery options are profitable for the case study mill and effective at process debottlenecking. The after-tax internal rate of return (IRR) of the lignin precipitation process option was estimated to be 95%, while that of the hemicellulose pre-extraction process option was 28%. Sensitivity analysis showed that the after tax-IRR of the lignin precipitation process remains higher than that of the hemicellulose pre-extraction process option, for all changes in the selected sensitivity parameters. If we consider the after-tax IRR, as well as capital cost, as selection criteria, the results show that for the case study mill, the lignin precipitation process is more promising than the near-neutral hemicellulose pre-extraction process. However, the comparison between the two biorefinery options should include long-term evaluation criteria. The potential of high value-added products that could be produced from lignin in the case of the lignin precipitation process, or from ethanol and acetic acid in the case of the hemicellulose pre-extraction process, should also be considered in the selection of the most promising process option.

Science, Politics, and the Pandemic

2020 ◽  
Vol 119 (820) ◽  
pp. 303-309
Author(s):  
J. Nicholas Ziegler
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Biomedical Research ◽  
Scale Up ◽  
Political Leadership ◽  
The United States ◽  
Scientific Advice ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Effective Policy ◽  
Scientific Expertise ◽  
The Uk

Comparing the virus responses in Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States shows that in order for scientific expertise to result in effective policy, rational political leadership is required. Each of these three countries is known for advanced biomedical research, yet their experiences in the COVID-19 pandemic diverged widely. Germany’s political leadership carefully followed scientific advice and organized public–private partnerships to scale up testing, resulting in relatively low infection levels. The UK and US political responses were far more erratic and less informed by scientific advice—and proved much less effective.

scholarly journals From sugars to FDCA: a techno-economic assessment using a design concept based on solvent selection and carbon dioxide emissions

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amir Al Ghatta ◽  
James D. E. T. Wilton-Ely ◽  
Jason P. Hallett
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Emissions ◽  
Process Development ◽  
Economic Assessment ◽  
Design Concept ◽  
Selling Price ◽  
Solvent Selection ◽  
Current Process ◽  
Process Simulations ◽  
Solvent Systems

Process simulations allow the evaluation of the emissions and selling price for the production of the key monomer FDCA based on different feedstocks and solvent systems, alongside considerations of safety and current process development.

scholarly journals Transforming biorefinery designs with ‘Plug-In Processes of Lignin’ to enable economic waste valorization

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhi-Hua Liu ◽  
Naijia Hao ◽  
Yun-Yan Wang ◽  
Chang Dou ◽  
Furong Lin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cellulosic Ethanol ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Substantial Improvement ◽  
Selling Price ◽  
Waste Valorization ◽  
Lignin Valorization ◽  
Capital Costs ◽  
Carbon Efficiency ◽  
Synergistic Enhancement ◽  
Total Capital

AbstractBiological lignin valorization has emerged as a major solution for sustainable and cost-effective biorefineries. However, current biorefineries yield lignin with inadequate fractionation for bioconversion, yet substantial changes of these biorefinery designs to focus on lignin could jeopardize carbohydrate efficiency and increase capital costs. We resolve the dilemma by designing ‘plug-in processes of lignin’ with the integration of leading pretreatment technologies. Substantial improvement of lignin bioconversion and synergistic enhancement of carbohydrate processing are achieved by solubilizing lignin via lowering molecular weight and increasing hydrophilic groups, addressing the dilemma of lignin- or carbohydrate-first scenarios. The plug-in processes of lignin could enable minimum polyhydroxyalkanoate selling price at as low as $6.18/kg. The results highlight the potential to achieve commercial production of polyhydroxyalkanoates as a co-product of cellulosic ethanol. Here, we show that the plug-in processes of lignin could transform biorefinery design toward sustainability by promoting carbon efficiency and optimizing the total capital cost.

scholarly journals System Modelling and Analysis to Support Economic Assessment of Product-Service Systems

Systems ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 6
Author(s):  
Khaled Medini ◽  
Sophie Peillon ◽  
Martha Orellano ◽  
Stefan Wiesner ◽  
Ang Liu
Keyword(s):  
Business Models ◽  
Economic Assessment ◽  
Service Industries ◽  
Service Systems ◽  
System Modelling ◽  
Value Network ◽  
A Value ◽  
Product Service ◽  
Industrial Cleaning ◽  
Product Service Systems

The evolution towards more customer-centric operations within manufacturing and service industries gave rise to novel ways of value creation and delivery such as Product–Service Systems (PSS). PSS integrate tangible and intangible elements to create new values for both customers and providers. Therefore, a close collaboration is required among various actors in a value network to co-create values towards win–win gains. For companies to keep up with this pace, new decision support tools are needed to accompany PSS engineering and to adjust business models. This need is confronted with the scarcity of PSS-oriented economic assessment models and methods. This paper presents a comprehensive framework for the economic assessment of PSS. The framework relies on a novel combination of system modelling and analysis approaches to enable cost and revenue attribution to different actors in a value network. The applicability and relevance of the framework are demonstrated through a case study in the industrial cleaning sector.

The Regional Consequences of the Japanese Second Wave: A Case Study

1995 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Max Munday
Keyword(s):  
Local Economy ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Second Wave

Outline This paper examines the Japanese “second wave” sector in the local economy. Following an examination of the development of the second wave Japanese-owned supplier sector in the UK, the paper assesses the role of this sector in the local economy, and questions the policy rationale of attracting this particular type of inward investment.

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