Feasibility Study for Bioethanol Co-Location with a Coal Fired Power Plant

摘要

Co-location with coal-fired power plants presents an opportunity to lower the capital cost of bioethanol plants by eliminating the lignin-fired boiler included in most greenfield designs. The lignin-fired boiler can represent up to 30% of the bioethanol capital cost. Integration of the ethanol operations with the power plant could benefit both facilities (purchasing of steam from the power plant and sharing of overhead costs such as maintenance for example). A Midwest location was selected for this project due to the abundance of corn stover as well as the potential for energy crops such as switchgrass. Coal fired power plants are also very common in the Midwest, which should result in numerous co-location opportunities. This study looks at the feasibility of co-locating 30, 50 and 70 million gallon per year bioethanol facilities with coal fired power plants in Indiana and Nebraska. Corn stover is the feedstock for ethanol production in both cases.