On the environmental and economic issues associated with the Jatropha curcas shell gasification to heat and electricity for biodiesel production

Pedro Antonio Rodríguez Ramos, Indira Tobío Pérez, Jesús Suárez-Hernández, Ramón Piloto-Rodriguez, Sven Pohl
2022 Afinidad  
The present work is focused on the use of Jatropha curcas biomass (shell), as feed to gasification systems coupled to a diesel engine for electricity generation. The scope of this research is to analyze the environmental and economic effects of the integration of a gasification system to a biodiesel plant. The environmental impacts are quantified by a Life Cycle Assessment and the economy is assessed based on the Net Present Value, Internal Rate of Return, Investment Recovery Period models and
more » ... he Levelized cost of electricity. The results demonstrate that a gasification system, using this biomass as a source of electricity generation, is a promising alternative for energy supply, with good economic effect. Estimated efficiencies are: Net Present Value > 0, Internal Rate of Return > 10%/yr and Investment Recovery Period = 2.08 years, representing very good outcomes for this kind of system. Nevertheless, the project exhibits a very low Levelized Cost of Electricity of 0.054 USD/kWh. From the environmental point of view, there is not critical step during the whole life cycle of electricity generation from Jatropha curcas biomass.negative environmental impacts were found for breathing-inorganics and acidification-eutrophication, but both at negligible levels.
doi:10.55815/401271 fatcat:d3yel5tvczeuxhtrofsplseadq