Preliminary Techno-economic Assessment Research Articles

Transparent lignin nanoparticles for superhydrophilic antifogging coatings and photonic films

Lignin nanoparticles are useful in multiple applications, but their opaqueness remains an obstacle in optical applications. In this study, we present a method to prepare optically clear lignin nanoparticle dispersions from acetylated lignin. Thin lignin nanoparticle films remained transparent when deposited on glass and other smooth surfaces, and monolayered particle films provided effective antifogging properties. The particles could also be used to prepare multilayered films with bright structural colors that could be controlled via the film-thickness and were retained in dry conditions. We also developed an improved energy- and cost-efficient esterification method for controlled and quick lignin acetylation. The reaction could be selectively controlled to acetylate only aliphatic groups or to also include phenolic groups. We show here that stable nanoparticle dispersions can be produced from acetylated lignin at very high initial lignin concentrations without the formation of aggregates. Both the very short reaction time and high possible lignin concentration make the process industrially feasible as shown with a preliminary techno-economic assessment.

Demonstration of direct ocean carbon capture using hollow fiber membrane contactors

The focus of membrane carbon capture to date has been primarily on point source capture, such as power plants and industrial capture. However, membrane technology can also play a role in negative emissions technology, such as direct air capture and direct ocean capture. Direct ocean capture has a few potential advantages over direct air capture, such as avoiding land use and coupling with offshore wind and offshore storage. The use and feasibility of hollow fiber membrane contactors (HFMCs) for direct ocean carbon capture with benign aqueous basic carbon dioxide solvents is assessed here through a multifaceted approach. A 1D HFMC model incorporates fluid dynamics and the chemical kinetics of both ocean water and aqueous sodium hydroxide solvent in order to simulate CO2 flux behavior in two flow configurations. Lab scale experiments of this system then guide a model refinement and validation process until experimental behaviors are predicted through computation. A preliminary technoeconomic assessment then uses computational and experimental results to estimate the carbon capture cost when the system is scaled to remove 0.98 Mtonnes CO2/year. Computational results suggest that higher seawater flow rates and temperatures relative to the sodium hydroxide solvent improve CO2 flux. The technoeconomic assessment suggests that HFMCs may only be cost-competitive if seawater pH is decreased at the membrane interface, thereby increasing the local concentration of dissolved carbon dioxide. These findings indicate that local pH swing on the seawater side will be necessary to feasibly remove carbon dioxide from seawater using HFMCs.

Entomoculture: A Preliminary Techno-Economic Assessment.

Cultured meat, or the practice of growing meat from cell culture, has been experiencing rapid advances in research and technology as the field of biotechnology attempts to answer the call to fight climate change and feed a growing global population. A major hurdle for cell-based meat products entering the market in the near-future is their price. The complex production facilities required to make such products will require advanced bioreactor systems, resources such as energy and water, and a skilled labor force, among other factors. The use of insect cells in this process is hypothesized to address some of these costs due to the characteristics that make them more resilient in cell culture when compared to traditional livestock-derived cells. To address the potential for cost savings by utilizing insect cells in the cultivation of protein-enriched foods, here we utilized a techno-economic assessment model. Three different insect cell lines were used in the model. The results indicate that insect cell lines offer potential to significantly reduce the cost per kilogram of cell cultivated meat, along with further opportunities to optimize production processes through technological advances and scaling.

Design and preliminary techno-economic assessment of a pilot scale pharmaceutical wastewater treatment system for ammonia removal and recovery of fertilizer

Recovery of nutrients from wastewater has a paramount importance for a sustainable and safe environment. In this study removal of ammonia and recovery of resources in the form of struvite from a complex pharmaceutical acidic wastewater having high concentration of ammoniacal nitrogen (NH4–N > 40 g/L) and other co-existing contaminants (magnesium, phosphorous, phenol etc.) was explored. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was employed for design of experiments and process optimization. RSM results revealed that removal of ammoniacal nitrogen, i.e., struvite precipitation was found to be maximum in alkaline pH (10.5–11.0) at a N:Mg molar ratio (1:0.030 to 1:0.035) and N:P molar ratio (1:0.025 to 1:0.030). X-Ray diffraction, thermo-gravimetric analysis and Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy confirmed the presence of struvite crystals in the obtained precipitate. Techno-economic assessment (TEA) based on mass energy balance principle and market equipment specifications revealed that a pilot-scale plant set up would have a break-even period of 1.06 years with a return on investment as 94.28%. This clearly elucidated the economic viability of the developed process for industrial applications for management of high ammonia laden pharmaceutical wastewater. While further specific technological improvements are needed for reduction of cost, this study will guide researchers and industries for careful selection of target markets to reduce the cost for successful implementation.

Preliminary techno-economic assessment and uncertainty analysis of scaled-up integrated process for bioactive extracts production from Senna alata (L.) leaves

This work reported the effects of heat-assisted extraction (HAE) temperature (35–55 °C), solid: liquid (1:20–1:50 g/mL) and time (100–200 min) on the total phenolic content (TPC, GAE/g), bioactive extracts yield (EYs, %) and antioxidant activity (AA, AAE/g) of Senna alata leaves (SALs) using the Box-Behnken experimental design. Multi-objective HAE process optimization was also carried out. The large scale (1000 L extractor capacity) HAE integrated process was thereafter designed using the global optimum data and techno-economically analyzed. Profitability sensitivity and uncertainty analyzes were conducted on the large scale integrated process to determine the associated risk. The extraction temperature, solid: liquid and time had significant effects on TPC, EYs and AA. The extraction conditions at 54.97 °C, 41.59 g/mL and 100 min gave an optimum TPC, EYs and AA of 84.3897 mg GAE/g, 21.3607% and 6.61696 µM AAE/g, respectively. The phenolic profiling showed that SALs extracts were rich in betulinic, gallic, chlorogenic, caffeic and ferulic acids. The large scale integrated plant possessed net present value (NPV), internal rate of return (IIR), return on investment (ROI) and payback time (PBT) of 193.511 US$, 7.11%, 13.97%, and 7.16 y, respectively. The certainty of obtaining base case NPV and ROI were 55.88 and 60.96%. Out of technical and cost variables selected for sensitivity analysis, extracts recovery contributed the most (26.6 and 27.9% in NPV and ROI, respectively) while the extraction temperature and SALs purchase cost did not contribute significantly to the variance in NPV and ROI.

Low-emission hydrogen production via the thermo-catalytic decomposition of methane for the decarbonisation of iron ore mines in Western Australia

The Pilbara, located in Western Australia is one of the largest iron ore-mining regions in the world and will need to achieve significant emission reductions in the short term to conserve the limited carbon budget and abide by the Paris Agreement targets. Green hydrogen has been communicated as the desired solution, however, the high production cost limits the deployment of these systems. The thermo-catalytic methane decomposition (TCMD) process is an alternative solution, which could be implemented as a bridge technology to produce low-emission hydrogen at a potentially lower cost. This is especially attractive for iron ore mines due to the utilisation of iron ore as a process catalyst, which reduces the catalyst turnover costs and can increase the grade of spent iron ore catalyst. In this study, a preliminary techno-economic assessment was carried out in comparison with green hydrogen to determine the feasibility of the TCMD process for the decarbonisation of iron ore mine sites in the Pilbara. The results show that the TCMD process had a CO2 abatement cost between 25 and 40% less than green hydrogen, however, the magnitude of these costs was lowest for mining operations >60 Mt/yr at approximately $150 and $200 USD/t CO2 respectively. Since green hydrogen is expected to have significant cost reductions in the future, integrating renewables already into the mine could reduce emissions in the short term, which could then be extended for green hydrogen production once it becomes viable. The TCMD process, therefore, only has a narrow window of opportunity, although considering the uncertainty of the process and that green hydrogen is a proven technology with greater emission-reduction potential, green hydrogen may be the most suitable solution despite the model results presented in this work.

Heat integration of power-to-heat technologies: Case studies on heat recovery systems subject to electrified heating

A systematic design methodology for the electrified supply of heat in process industries is developed to provide process design guidelines for economic and energy-efficient transition from a fossil-fuelled energy system to a renewable-based electricity system. The most appropriate strategy for the implementation of electrified sources for energy systems is proposed in the context of Heat Integration. Design implications related to the introduction of electrified sources for industries are fully investigated for the design of heat recovery systems between conventional fossil-fuelled systems and electrified systems. As the electricity-based heating systems allows more degrees of freedom for the design of the HEN (Heat Exchanger Network) than fossil-fuel-based systems, design complexities of HEN under electrification can be considerably reduced. This is illustrated with a few cases of heat recovery system in which capital cost and design complexities can be minimized by considering the electrified energy supply and their characteristics in an effective and integrated manner. Preliminary techno-economic assessment for electrified energy recovery systems is carried out to understand economic limitation of industrial electrification under current energy prices and its sensitivities.

Synthetic fat from petroleum as a resilient food for global catastrophes: Preliminary techno-economic assessment and technology roadmap

Human civilization’s food production system is unprepared for global catastrophic risks (GCRs). catastrophes capable of abruptly transforming global climate such as supervolcanic eruption, asteroid/comet impact or nuclear winter, which could completely collapse the agricultural system. Responding by producing resilient foods requiring little to no sunlight is more cost effective than increasing food stockpiles, given the long duration of these scenarios (6−10 years).This preliminary techno-economic assessment uncovers significant potential for synthetic fat from petroleum as a resilient food source in the case of an abrupt sunlight reduction catastrophe, the most severe food shock scenario. To this end, the following are roughly quantified based on literature data: global production potential, capital and operating expenditures, material and energy requirements, ramp-up rates and retail prices. Potential resource bottlenecks are reviewed.Synthetic fat production capacity would be slower to ramp up compared to low-tech food production alternatives, but provides the fat macronutrient, largely absent from these. Using 24/7 construction of facilities, 16–100% of global fat requirements could be fulfilled at the end of the first year, potentially taking up to 2 years to fully meet the requirements. Significant uncertainty remains on several topics including production potential, capital expenditure, food safety, transferability of labor and equipment construction. A technology roadmap is proposed to address these concerns and develop the potential of synthetic fat as a catastrophe-resilient food.

Potential of microbial electrosynthesis for contributing to food production using CO2 during global agriculture-inhibiting disasters

A sun-blocking global catastrophic risk (GCR) such as a nuclear winter could completely collapse the agricultural system. Producing alternative foods through methods requiring little to no sunlight has been identified as a cost-effective response to these types of GCRs. This preliminary techno-economic assessment evaluates the potential of acetic acid (AA) derived from carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) via microbial electrosynthesis (MES) as an alternative food source for GCRs. Production and retail costs are estimated using net present value analyses for catastrophe and non-catastrophe scenarios. Based on nonstop (24/7) facility construction, the speed of food production ramp-up is estimated from capital expenditures using a reference class forecasting correlation. Potential production bottlenecks are assessed via a global resource requirement analysis. In regular conditions, the production cost of AA produced via MES is estimated at $1.83–$5.20/kg (dry). MES production ramp-up is expected to fulfill less than 1% of global human caloric requirements by the end of the first year after the catastrophe. The retail cost of AA produced via MES in catastrophe conditions is estimated at $6–$15/kg (dry). Potential bottlenecks to ramp-up include high electricity use and platinum dependency, which could be palliated via alternative processes based on gasification or bioelectrodes. AA from MES is not currently recommended as an alternative food for GCRs, because it is significantly more expensive and resource intensive than alternatives. Future research may change this, and could perhaps even enable MES as a sustainable food production method outside of catastrophes, given its potential for CO 2 utilization. • The production cost of acetic acid from CO 2 via MES is estimated at $1.83–$5.20/kg (dry). • The retail cost in catastrophe conditions is estimated at $6–$15/kg (dry). • Acetic acid produced via MES is still far from being competitive as a food or commodity chemical. • Potential bottlenecks to ramp-up include high electricity use and platinum dependency. • Alternatives based on gasification or bioelectrodes could palliate bottlenecks.

Purification of spent deicing fluid by membrane techniques.

Membrane-based concept comprising microfiltration and nanofiltration pre-treatments, reverse osmosis pre-concentration, and membrane distillation used for final concentration was applied for producing purified and concentrated recycled deicing fluid. Additionally, a techno-economic assessment was conducted to determine the economic viability of the recycling concept. By a straightforward membrane-based concept, ∼95% of solid and colloidal impurities together with certain deicing fluid additives such as colorants and surfactants could be efficiently removed (removal efficiencies of ∼90% and ∼93%, respectively), and resulting purified deicing fluid could be concentrated to ∼60 wt% glycol solution, enabling its recycling in deicing operations. Preliminary techno-economic assessment indicated that a membrane-based concept can be used as an economically viable alternative for recycling the spent deicing fluid at airports. The techno-economic case study at an airport consuming 4,000 tonnes of deicing fluid during 6 months annually showed the concept to be economically feasible when the price of purchased propylene glycol is over 1,000 EUR/tonne. In addition to the purchase price of the propylene glycol, the most important cost factors were labor cost and the annual consumption of deicing fluid. Integrating the membrane concept with other operations at airport has potential to decrease the labor cost and further improve the economic feasibility of the concept.

Preliminary Techno-Economic Assessment of Animal Cell-Based Meat.

Interest in animal cell-based meat (ACBM) or laboratory-grown meat has been increasing; however, the economic viability of these potential products has not been thoroughly vetted. Recent studies suggest monoclonal antibody production technology can be adapted for the industrialization of ACBM production. This study provides a scenario-based assessment of the projected cost per kilogram of ACBM produced in the United States based on cellular metabolic requirements and process/chemical engineering conventions. A sensitivity analysis of the model identified the nine most influential cost factors for ACBM production out of 67 initial parameters. The results indicate that technological performance will need to approach technical limits for ACBM to achieve profitably as a commodity. However, the model also suggests that low-volume high-value specialty products could be viable based on current technology.

Floating Offshore Wind Farms in Italy beyond 2030 and beyond 2060: Preliminary Results of a Techno-Economic Assessment

At the end of 2019, 10.5 GW of wind capacity was installed in Italy, all onshore. The National Integrated Climate and Energy Plan sets a target of 18.4 GW of onshore wind capacity and 0.9 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030. Significant exploitation of offshore wind resources in Italy is expected after 2030, using floating wind turbines, suitable for water depths greater than 50 m. This technology is at the demonstration phase at present. Results of a preliminary techno-economic assessment of floating wind plants in Italian marine areas in a medium (2030) and long-term (2060) scenario are presented. In 2030, a reference park with 10 MW wind turbines will be defined, and parametric costs, depending on distance from shore, were assessed. In 2060, possible wind resource variations due to climate change, and cost reductions due to large diffusion of the technology were considered in three case studies. The economic model used was the simple Levelized Cost of Energy (sLCoE). Different values of Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC) were considered too. The results show LCoEs comparable to the ones expected for the sector in 2030. In 2060, even in the more pessimistic scenario, wind resource decreases will be abundantly compensated by expected cost reductions.

Using micro- and nanofibrillated cellulose as a means to reduce weight of paper products: A review

Based on publications related to the use of micro- and nanofibrillated cellulose (MNFC) in papermaking applications, three sets of parameters (intrinsic and extrinsic variables, furnish composition, and degree of dispersion) were proposed. This holistic approach intends to facilitate understanding and manipulation of the main factors describing the colloidal behavior in systems comprising of MNFC, pulp fibers, and additives, which directly impact paper product performance. A preliminary techno-economic assessment showed that cost reductions driven by the addition of MNFC in paper furnishes could be as high as USD 149 per ton of fiber (up to 20% fiber reduction without adverse effects on paper's strength) depending on the cost of papermaking fibers. It was also determined that better performance in terms of strength development associated with a higher degree of MNFC fibrillation offset its high manufacturing cost. However, there is a limit from which additional fibrillation does not seem to contribute to further strength gains that can justify the increasing production cost. Further research is needed regarding raw materials, degree of fibrillation, and combination with polyelectrolytes to further explore the potential of MNFC for the reduction of weight of paper products.

Using micro- and nanofibrillated cellulose as a means to reduce weight of paper products: A review

Based on publications related to the use of micro- and nanofibrillated cellulose (MNFC) in papermaking applications, three sets of parameters (intrinsic and extrinsic variables, furnish composition, and degree of dispersion) were proposed. This holistic approach intends to facilitate understanding and manipulation of the main factors describing the colloidal behavior in systems comprising of MNFC, pulp fibers, and additives, which directly impact paper product performance. A preliminary techno-economic assessment showed that cost reductions driven by the addition of MNFC in paper furnishes could be as high as USD 149 per ton of fiber (up to 20% fiber reduction without adverse effects on paper’s strength) depending on the cost of papermaking fibers. It was also determined that better performance in terms of strength development associated with a higher degree of MNFC fibrillation offset its high manufacturing cost. However, there is a limit from which additional fibrillation does not seem to contribute to further strength gains that can justify the increasing production cost. Further research is needed regarding raw materials, degree of fibrillation, and combination with polyelectrolytes to further explore the potential of MNFC for the reduction of weight of paper products.

Techno-economic assessment of SEWGS technology when applied to integrated steel-plant for CO2 emission mitigation

Mitigation of CO2 emissions in the industrial sector is one of the main climate challenges for the coming decades. This work, carried out within the STEPWISE H2020 project, performs a preliminary techno-economic assessment of the Sorption Enhanced Water Gas Shift (SEWGS) technology when integrated into the iron and steel plant to mitigate CO2 emissions. The SEWGS separates the CO2 from the iron and steel off-gases with residual energy content (i.e. Blast Furnace Gas, Basic Oxygen Furnace Gas and Coke Oven Gas) and the produced H2 is sent to the power generation section to produce the electricity required by the steel plant, while the CO2 is compressed and transported for storage. Detailed mass and energy balances are performed together with a SEWGS cost estimation to assess the energy penalty and additional costs related to CO2 capture. Results demonstrates the potential of SEWGS to capture over 80 % of CO2 in the off-gases, which results in entire plant CO2 emission reduction of 40 % with a Specific Energy Consumptions for CO2 Avoided (SPECCA) around 1.9 MJ/kgCO2. SEWGS outperforms a commercial amine scrubbing technology which has a SPECCA of 2.5 MJ/kgCO2 and only 20 % of CO2 avoided. The cost of CO2 avoided calculated on the basis of a fully integrated steel plant is around 33 €/tCO2 compared to 38 €/tCO2 of the amine technology.

Techno-economic assessment of CO2-containing polyurethane rubbers

Carbon capture and utilization technologies can open up new synthesis routes with economic benefits. Recently, the inclusion of carbon dioxide in polyols was extended by copolymerizing double bond agents. This allows for subsequent chain-extension with diisocyanates to polyurethane rubbers. This paper assesses their economic viability. A preliminary techno-economic assessment based on extended block flow diagrams reveals substantial uncertainty in profitability indicators due to applying a short-cut capital expenditure estimation method. Consequently, a process design for the polyol production was carried out, enabling a refined TEA incorporating an equipment-cost-based approach. Positive net present values are reported for multiple [double bond agent]-[diisocyanate]-[benchmark] combinations. The net present value is most sensitive to the sales and propylene oxide prices. The choice of the double bond moiety has decisive effect; the choice of the diisocyanate has minor effect on the TEA. Finding a favorable market position remains the biggest challenge for CO2-containing synthetic polyurethane rubbers.

Investment analysis of gas-turbine combined heat and power systems for commercial buildings under different climatic and market scenarios

The aim of the proposed work is to investigate the technical and economic suitability of a gas turbine combined heat and power system in commercial buildings. These systems are widely recognised as a promising technology to provide significant fuel savings and carbon emissions reduction where they have been widely used in industrial settings due to the relatively constant electrical and thermal loads required for industrial processes. However, their deployment has been relatively stagnant over the last few decades due to challenges such as poor planning and policy measures, energy market changes and regulatory barriers. In this context, a preliminary system design and optimisation procedure has been developed based on a sensitivity analysis of different scenarios of building loads, market and weather conditions. The optimisation is performed considering several technical and environmental parameters (e.g., energy and exergy efficiencies and primary energy saving), as well as economic indexes (e.g., net present value, pay-back period, profitability, etc.). This allows the suitability assessment of the investment for different market price scenarios under different heating degree days demand scenarios. The analysis is carried out using an Italian case study as it exhibits a wide range of heating degree days variability, while subject to a single pricing market. Results show that strong correlations occur between the technical and economic performance indices and the weather conditions for all considered configurations. The methodology and conclusions, if coupled with the possibility of applying clustering techniques to determine common patterns of energy consumptions in building blocks, represent a powerful toolset to carry out preliminary techno-economic assessment of a combined heat and power system.

Techno-economic evaluation of a biogas-based oxidative coupling of methane process for ethylene production

This contribution is a preliminary techno-economic assessment of a biogas-based oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) process. Biogas is frequently utilized as a renewable energy source within small scale combined heat and power plants or as a natural gas substitute. The activation of methane also enables its utilization as a feedstock to produce chemicals. In this sense, the OCM process allows for the direct conversion of methane into ethylene, which is a major building block for the chemical and polymer industries. Biogas resulting from the anaerobic digestion of vinasse, a liquid effluent from bioethanol industry, is treated for contaminant removal and its methane content is converted into ethylene, which is then purified as the main product. The biogas cleaning process is assessed based on literature data, while an experimentally validated simulation model is used to assess the OCM process. A techno-economic evaluation is then performed through a Monte Carlo simulation, wherein uncertain parameters take random values between reasonable bounds. The net present value results positive in 74% of the cases, indicating that the project is profitable under a wide range of scenarios. Some performance improvement opportunities have been identified and highlighted to guide future studies in the topic.

Preliminary techno-economic assessment of recovering water and caustic soda from alkaline bleach plant effluent

Increasingly stringent environmental regulations and increasing input costs negatively affects the sustainability and competitiveness of the pulp and paper industry. As a result, it has become necessary that broader strategies aimed at helping the industry to improve the environment performance whilst also reducing the operation costs are initiated. Recovering water and chemical from the bleach plant effluent streams could be one of such initiatives. In this paper, a preliminary techno-economic assessment of recovering water and caustic soda from alkaline bleach plant effluent using ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis membrane systems is presented. The scope of this work included; assessing the practicality and the economic performance of this membrane process. In terms of the practicality, the data acquired revealed that the proposed concept can only be applied to the alkaline effluents from the alkaline extraction stage, where caustic soda, oxygen, and peroxide are used as the pulp bleaching chemicals. Economic performance of this membrane system, however, is dependent on the effluent flow rates and the amount of water recovered. To be economically viable, the flow rates must higher than 480 m3/day and water recovery rate need to be higher than 70%. At this optimum effluent flow and water recovery rates, the process cost is approximately R 19/m3. Depending on the flow rates, the investment cost is in the range of R 5–25 million and the payback time is between 3 and 4 years. However, motivations of caustic recovery should be based on environmental rather than economic benefits. Mills can use the detailed information/data acquired in this study to determine whether it would be beneficial for them to implement this type of integrated waste management strategy in their processes.

Potential of Small Size Hybrid Diesel-Photovoltaic to Improve Sub-District Supply Duration in East Sumba, Indonesia

This paper presents a preliminary techno-economic assessment of isolated mini off-grid power generation which involve locally available renewable energy resources in Ngadu Ngala sub-district, East Sumba, Indonesia. Currently, only 6 hours of supply available from diesel generator is available for the area, started from 6 PM until 12 PM. In this study, 10 years projection on domestic load demand is provided as the demand. The study is performed to prolong the supply duration from 6 hours to 24 hours daily. The analysis is mainly intended to find long-term optimum sizing of power generation system, which involve significant renewable energy penetration, with the least cost of energy. Based on the simulation performed by HOMER software for 24 hours supply, the most optimum sizing is a hybrid system which consists of 200 kWp Photovoltaic (PV) and 72 kW diesel generator, with energy cost of only US$ 0.281/kWh, which is quite cheap. Moreover, the penetration rate of PV is reached 51%.