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    Unlocking sustainable solutions : harnessing residual biomass from Colombia's non-centrifugal sugar chain for green market deployment
    (Elsevier, 2024-06-01)
    Sanchez, Nestor
    ;
    Cobo, Martha
    ;
    Rodríguez-Fontalvo, David
    ;
    Ruiz-Pardo, Ruth Y.
    ;
    Rödl, Anne
    Green markets offer an alternative to bolster the economic and social dimensions of rural areas by valorizing surplus agroindustrial waste. This study aims to assess the environmental impacts of Panela, an agroindustrial crop with high relevance for the economies of Latin American and Asian countries. The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology revealed that producing 1 t of Non-centrifugal sugar results in a global warming potential of 0.262 t of CO2-eq. Additionally, the acidification potential, freshwater eutrophication, particulate matter, and photochemical oxidant formation were found to be 0.135 kg SO2-eq., 0.0081 kg P-eq. 0.020 kg PM2.5-eq., and 0.043 kg NOx-eq., respectively. A nutrient balance and bagasse combustion analysis were conducted, indicating that environmental impacts were reduced by 45 %. As a result of these impact abatements, the surplus residual biomass could potentially cover 1 % of the national urea demand in a decentralized scheme, thereby reducing dependency on imports from other countries.
    Publicationtype: Journal Article
      19  191
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    Technical and environmental analysis on the power production from residual biomass using hydrogen as energy vector
    (2021-09)
    Sanchez, Nestor
    ;
    Ruiz, Ruth
    ;
    Rödl, Anne
    ;
    Cobo, Martha
    Decarbonization of energy by using renewable sources is a global need to tackle climate change. Herein, we report on the techno-environmental analysis of the use of sugarcane press-mud, a residual biomass, as feedstock to produce power in a fuel cell by using hydrogen (H2) as energy vector. Technical analysis was performed by using experimental and Aspen plus simulation results whereas environmental analysis was assessed through life cycle assessment. Raw bioethanol was used as H2 source, which was purified by three different technologies, i.e., flash, mash, and rectification columns. Mash column was selected as the suitable process to purify bioethanol for producing H2 and power, mainly ascribed to the reduction of bioethanol impurities that increases H2 yield, reduces energy demand, and mitigates the environmental impact in terms of global warming potential and acidification potential. This technology presented an energy efficiency of 56 %, a renewability factor of 1.24 and a carbon footprint of 1.21 kg CO2 kWh−1. Additionally, the use of residual biomass showed environmental benefits in comparison with the use of first-generation bioethanol from sugarcane molasses. Therefore, using sugarcane press-mud as power source in rural areas can diversify the energy sources to move towards a decarbonized economy.
    Publicationtype: Journal Article
      70
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    Item type:Publication, Access status: with files ,
    Life cycle inventory data for power production from sugarcane press-mud
    (Elsevier, 2021-06-03)
    Sanchez, Nestor
    ;
    Ruiz, Ruth
    ;
    Rödl, Anne
    ;
    Cobo, Martha
    This data article is associated with the research article “Technical and environmental analysis on the power production from residual biomass using hydrogen as energy vector”. This paper shows the procedure to calculate the Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) of the foreground system to perform the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of the power production from sugarcane press-mud. Said process encompasses four main stages: i) bioethanol production; ii) bioethanol purification; iii) syngas production and purification; and iv) power production. Additionally, other processes such as biomethane production and manufacturing of catalyst were included. Foreground data related to bioethanol production was gathered from experimental procedures at lab-scale. While foreground data, concerning the other processes such as bioethanol purification, syngas production and purification, power production, and biomethane production, was built by using material and energy flows obtained from Aspen Plus®. Lastly, LCI of the catalyst manufacturing was built based on literature review and the approach stated by Ecoinvent. All the inventories are meaningful to carry out future environmental assessments involving sustainable energy systems based on bioethanol, biomethane, or hydrogen.
    Publicationtype: Data Paper
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