Techno-economic and profitability analysis of food waste biorefineries at European level. (July 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Cristóbal, Jorge; Caldeira, Carla; Corrado, Sara; Sala, Serenella
• Is Part Of: Bioresource technology. Volume 259(2018)
• Page Start: 244
• Page End: 252
• Publication Date: 2018-07
• Subjects: Food waste -- Biorefinery -- Profitability -- Techno-economic assessment -- Bioeconomy -- Circular economy; Biomass -- Periodicals; Biomass energy -- Periodicals; Bioremediation -- Periodicals; Agricultural wastes -- Periodicals; Factory and trade waste -- Periodicals; Organic wastes -- Periodicals; Bioénergie -- Périodiques; Déchets agricoles -- Périodiques; Déchets industriels -- Périodiques; Déchets organiques -- Périodiques; Déchets (Combustible) -- Périodiques; 662.88
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2018.03.016
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0960-8524

Abstract

Highlights: A techno-economic and profitability analysis of a food waste biorefinery is presented. Four relevant products were analysed: potato, tomato, citrus fruits and olives. Food waste from the products processing was quantified at the European level. The value-added product market price was identified as key element for profitability. A market analysis is necessary prior the biorefinery implementation. Abstract: Food waste represents a potential source to produce value-added materials replacing the use of virgin ones. However, the use of food waste as feedstock in biorefineries is still at an early stage of development and studies assessing its economic viability at large scale are lacking in the literature. This paper presents a techno-economic and profitability analysis of four food waste biorefineries that use wastes from tomato, potato, orange, and olive processing as feedstock. The study includes the assessment of potentially available quantities of those waste flows in Europe. Due to the low technology readiness level of this kind of biorefineries, a screening methodology to estimate the investment and manufacturing costs as well as two profitability ratios (the return on investment and the payback time) was adopted. Results show that not all the waste feedstocks have the same potential. The most profitable options are those related to implementing fewer plants, namely concentrating the production and capitalising on economies of scale while being at risk of increasing externalities, e.g. due to logistics of the feedstocks.