Technoeconomic analysis and life cycle assessment of the sorption-enhanced chemical looping gasification of waste bagasse biomass to produce hydrogen and transportation fuels

Sorption-enhanced chemical looping gasification (SECLG) offers an effective solution for in-situ carbon capture, reduced nitrogen dilution, and low tar concentration in the syngas, thereby significantly reducing economic costs in biomass gasification. In this work, we evaluate the techno-economic performance and life-cycle environmental impacts of SECLG to produce hydrogen and petroleum from waste bagasse biomass. Here, ilmenite-supported nickel oxide and calcium oxide are used to facilitate lattice oxygen transfer and CO2-capture. The results indicate competitive capital investments of US$22.8 million and US$58.3 million for the hydrogen and petroleum plants, respectively. It is worth noting that levelized costs of hydrogen and petroleum, at US$1.08/kg and US$0.56/L, were essential in delivering these estimates. According to a sensitivity analysis, the oxygen carrier and sorbent have a less significant impact on overall profitability of the plants. Regarding the LCA, sulfur and CO2, amounting to 0.009 kg and 91 kg, respectively, were identified as major concerns while associated human health outcomes and non-renewable energy consumption impacts per unit of hydrogen and petroleum produced remained low. These findings highlight the tremendous potential of SECLG to offer a robust, low-carbon, and economically viable route for waste bagasse valorization into hydrogen and liquid fuels.