Abstract
AbstractIn this study, three scales of a biofuel‐driven biorefinery were evaluated in techno‐economic, environmental and geospatial terms for green diesel production from macauba oil. The results show that the relative capital expenditure on the small scale is four times higher than that on the large scale, being significantly affected by the hydrogen facilities. However, coproducts, tax deductions for family farming and carbon credits can sustain the small‐scale production of green diesel. The carbon footprint of the green diesel is lower than that of commercial biofuels. Finally, the geospatial analysis applied in Brazil reveals that macauba cultivation with low land‐use impact can be implemented near small‐scale biorefineries for local consumer markets. Therefore, the feasibility of the small scale depends on coproducts, public policies, decentralized hydrogen production and catalysts for low‐hydrogen demand routes. This biorefinery concept can decentralize the biofuel sector and make use of several types of biomasses besides macauba, generating socio‐economic and environmental gains. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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