Estimating profitability of two biochar production scenarios: slow pyrolysis vs fast pyrolysis
✍ Scribed by Tristan R. Brown; Mark M. Wright; Robert C. Brown
- Publisher
- Wiley (John Wiley & Sons)
- Year
- 2010
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 388 KB
- Volume
- 5
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 1932-104X
- DOI
- 10.1002/bbb.254
No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
✦ Synopsis
We estimate the profi tability of producing biochar from crop residue (corn stover) for two scenarios. The fi rst employs slow pyrolysis to generate biochar and pyrolysis gas and has the advantage of high yields of char (as much as 40 wt-%) but the disadvantage of producing a relatively low-value energy product (pyrolysis gas of modest heating value). The second scenario employs fast pyrolysis to maximize production of bio-oil with biochar and pyrolysis gas as lower-yielding coproducts. The fast pyrolysis scenario produces a substantially higher value energy product than slow pyrolysis but at the cost of higher capital investment.
We calculate the internal rate of return (IRR) for each scenario as functions of cost of feedstock and projected revenues for the pyrolysis facility. The assumed price range for delivered biomass feedstock