Techno-economic feasibility study of bioethanol production from a combined cellulose and sugar feedstock in Nigeria: 1-modeling, simulation and cost evaluation

Abstract

Bioethanol, as a renewable energy, is vital for energy security and pollution control; but its large scale uses need to be studied for different regions. In this study, a bioethanol plant with a processing capacity of 148 million liters/annum was modelled and simulated. This was done with the aid of a process simulator. The study involved process modelling and simulation, material and energy balances, energy efficiency evaluation, and total capital and manufacturing cost estimation. The study shows that the simulated plant will be 63 % energy efficient and that the plant will yield 148 million liters of bioethanol from the processing of 402 metric tonnes of crushed sugarcane with a capital of $ 51 million and manufacturing cost of $ 89 million per annum. Thus, this suggests that the modelled plant would be able to produce 368 thousand liters of bioethanol from a metric tonne of crushed sugarcane with a capital of 0.34 $/liter and manufacturing cost of 0.61 $/liter per annum, based on the conditions adopted for the study. Keywords: Process, Modelling, Simulation, Biofuel, Bioethanol, Cellulose, Sugar