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Seaweeds as a sustainable source of bioenergy: Techno-economic and life cycle analyses of its biochemical conversion pathways

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  • Fasahati, P.
  • Dickson, R.
  • Saffron, C.M.
  • Woo, H.C.
  • Liu, J. Jay

Abstract

This study evaluates the environmental impacts, economic potential, and merits of producing bioenergy from seaweed via biological conversion pathways, including the: 1) sugar pathway; (2) volatile fatty acids pathway; and (3) methane pathway to produce ethanol, ethanol and heavier alcohols, and heat and power, respectively. The maximum seaweed price and minimum product selling price are both calculated as economic indicators. Overall, results demonstrate that the sugar platform is economically superior, as it provides a higher average maximum seaweed price of USD 121.6/t compared with USD 57.7/t and USD 24.2/t for volatile fatty acids platform and methane platform, respectively. The minimum product selling price calculated for a range of biomass purchase prices (USD 50–150/dry t) and plant scales (100,000–700,000 dry t of seaweed) indicated that the sugar platform is capable of selling ethanol at prices lower than its 2019 wholesale price (USD 1.38/gal) at smaller plant scales and higher seaweed price compared with volatile fatty acids platform. Cradle-to-grave life cycle assessments were conducted to identify the key drivers of its environmental profile. Three scenarios for the preparation and transportation of seaweed were considered, namely: (1) grinding + pumping; (2) chopping + wet transportation; and (3) chopping + dry transportation. Seaweed grinding and pumping in the biorefinery was identified to be the most sustainable mode of transportation. In addition, our results demonstrated that biofuels can lead to better environmental profiles compared with generation of bioelectricity, as a larger burden is displaced by substituting fossil fuels in the transportation sector.

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  • Fasahati, P. & Dickson, R. & Saffron, C.M. & Woo, H.C. & Liu, J. Jay, 2022. "Seaweeds as a sustainable source of bioenergy: Techno-economic and life cycle analyses of its biochemical conversion pathways," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:rensus:v:157:y:2022:i:c:s1364032121012740
    DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2021.112011
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Fasahati, Peyman & Liu, J. Jay, 2015. "Economic, energy, and environmental impacts of alcohol dehydration technology on biofuel production from brown algae," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 93(P2), pages 2321-2336.
    2. Kazemi Shariat Panahi, Hamed & Dehhaghi, Mona & Aghbashlo, Mortaza & Karimi, Keikhosro & Tabatabaei, Meisam, 2019. "Shifting fuel feedstock from oil wells to sea: Iran outlook and potential for biofuel production from brown macroalgae (ochrophyta; phaeophyceae)," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 626-642.
    3. Dickson, Rofice & Ryu, Jun-Hyung & Liu, J. Jay, 2018. "Optimal plant design for integrated biorefinery producing bioethanol and protein from Saccharina japonica: A superstructure-based approach," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 1257-1270.
    4. Searchinger, Timothy & Heimlich, Ralph & Houghton, R. A. & Dong, Fengxia & Elobeid, Amani & Fabiosa, Jacinto F. & Tokgoz, Simla & Hayes, Dermot J. & Yu, Hun-Hsiang, 2008. "Use of U.S. Croplands for Biofuels Increases Greenhouse Gases Through Emissions from Land-Use Change," Staff General Research Papers Archive 12881, Iowa State University, Department of Economics.
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    Cited by:

    1. Liu, J. Jay & Dickson, Rofice & Niaz, Haider & Van Hal, Jaap W. & Dijkstra, J.W. & Fasahati, Peyman, 2022. "Production of fuels and chemicals from macroalgal biomass: Current status, potentials, challenges, and prospects," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 169(C).
    2. Kiehbadroudinezhad, Mohammadali & Hosseinzadeh-Bandbafha, Homa & Pan, Junting & Peng, Wanxi & Wang, Yajing & Aghbashlo, Mortaza & Tabatabaei, Meisam, 2023. "The potential of aquatic weed as a resource for sustainable bioenergy sources and bioproducts production," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 278(PA).
    3. Valentyna Stanytsina & Volodymyr Artemchuk & Olga Bogoslavska & Artur Zaporozhets & Antonina Kalinichenko & Jan Stebila & Valerii Havrysh & Dariusz Suszanowicz, 2022. "Fossil Fuel and Biofuel Boilers in Ukraine: Trends of Changes in Levelized Cost of Heat," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(19), pages 1-18, September.

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