Techno-economic evaluation of a biorefinery applying food waste for sophorolipid production - A case study for Hong Kong

Huaimin Wang; Chi-Wing Tsang; Ming Ho To; Guneet Kaur; Sophie L K W Roelants; Christian V Stevens; Wim Soetaert; Carol Sze Ki Lin

doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2020.122852

Techno-economic evaluation of a biorefinery applying food waste for sophorolipid production - A case study for Hong Kong

Bioresour Technol. 2020 May:303:122852. doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2020.122852. Epub 2020 Jan 27.

Authors

Huaimin Wang¹, Chi-Wing Tsang², Ming Ho To¹, Guneet Kaur³, Sophie L K W Roelants⁴, Christian V Stevens⁵, Wim Soetaert⁴, Carol Sze Ki Lin⁶

Affiliations

¹ School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
² Faculty of Science and Technology, Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong, Tsing Yi, Hong Kong.
³ Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong; Sino-Forest Applied Research Centre for Pearl River Delta Environment, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong.
⁴ Centre for Industrial Biotechnology and Biocatalysis (InBio.be), Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium; Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant, Ghent, Belgium.
⁵ Department of Sustainable Organic Chemistry and Technology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
⁶ School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong. Electronic address: carollin@cityu.edu.hk.

PMID: 32036326
DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2020.122852

Abstract

This study evaluates the techno-economic feasibility of sophorolipid (SL) production process that co-utilizes food waste, glucose and oleic acid as substrates. Two variables are considered in terms of (a) Plant construction: Purchasing equipment either from the US or Mainland China and (b) Production: to produce SL crystals (about 97% active) or a concentrated SL liquid/syrup (about 78% active). Hence, four scenarios are generated: Scenario I: equipment made in the USA + SL crystals; Scenario II: equipment made in the USA + SL syrup; Scenario III: equipment made in China + SL crystals; Scenario IV: equipment made in China + SL syrup. It is found that all scenarios are economically feasible and Scenario I has the highest net profit. Scenario III has the highest internal rate of return, net present value and the shortest payback period at a 7% discount rate. Finally, comparison of food waste-related techno-economic studies was conducted.

Keywords: Food waste; Sensitivity analysis; Sophorolipid; Starmerella bombicola; Techno-economic assessment.

MeSH terms

China
Cost-Benefit Analysis
Food*
Hong Kong
Oleic Acids
Refuse Disposal*

Substances

Oleic Acids
sophorolipid