Assessment of Potential and Techno-Economic Performance of Solid Sorbent Direct Air Capture with CO2 Storage in Europe.

Direct air capture with CO2 storage (DACCS) is among the carbon dioxide removal (CDR) options, with the largest gap between current deployment and needed upscaling. Here, we present a geospatial analysis of the techno-economic performance of large-scale DACCS deployment in Europe using two performance indicators: CDR costs and potential. Different low-temperature heat DACCS configurations are considered, i.e., coupled to the national power grid, using waste heat and powered by curtailed electricity. Our findings reveal that the CDR potential and costs of DACCS systems are mainly driven by (i) the availability of energy sources, (ii) the location-specific climate conditions, (iii) the price and GHG intensity of electricity, and (iv) the CO2 transport distance to the nearest CO2 storage location. The results further highlight the following key findings: (i) the limited availability of waste heat, with only Sweden potentially compensating nearly 10% of national emissions through CDR, and (ii) the need for considering transport and storage of CO2 in a comprehensive techno-economic assessment of DACCS. Finally, our geospatial analysis reveals substantial differences between regions due to location-specific conditions, i.e., useful information elements and consistent insights that will contribute to assessment and feasibility studies toward effective DACCS implementation.

Techno-economic assessment of bioleaching for metallurgical by-products.

This study focused on the economic feasibility of two potential industrial-scale bioleaching technologies for metal recovery from specific metallurgical by-products, mainly basic oxygen steelmaking dust (BOS-D) and goethite. The investigation compared two bioleaching scaling technology configurations, including an aerated bioreactor and an aerated and stirred bioreactor across different scenarios. Results indicated that bioleaching using Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans proved financially viable for copper extraction from goethite, particularly when 5% and 10% pulp densities were used in the aerated bioreactor, and when 10% pulp density was used in the aerated and stirred bioreactor. Notably, a net present value (NPV) of $1,275,499k and an internal rate of return (IRR) of 65% for Cu recovery from goethite were achieved over 20-years after project started using the aerated and stirred bioreactor plant with a capital expenditure (CAPEX) of $119,816,550 and an operational expenditure (OPEX) of $5,896,580/year. It is expected that plant will start to make profit after one year of operation. Aerated and stirred bioreactor plant appeared more reliable alternative compared to the aerated bioreactor plant as the plant consists of 12 reactors which can allow better management and operation in small volume with multiple reactors. Despite the limitations, this techno-economic assessment emphasized the significance of selective metal recovery and plant design, and underscored the major expenses associated with the process.

Feasibility study and techno-economic assessment of power-to-gas (P2G) technology based on solid oxide electrolysis (SOE).

Power-to-Gas (P2G) is considered as a promising energy storage technology in a long-time horizon. The rapid growth in the share of intermittent renewables in the energy mix is driving forward research and development in large-scale energy storage. This paper presents a feasibility analysis of a power-to-gas system in terms of various operating points and capacities. The analysis was performed using a system model, which features a solid oxide electrolyzer (SOE), a CO2 separation unit, and a methanation reactor as the key components. For the purposes of the techno-economic assessment (TEA) of the system, the CAPEX/OPEX estimation was performed and the cost structure defined. The model proposed in the study enables system-level optimization, including technical and economic criteria, considering two nominal scales: 10 kW and 40 GW, which corresponds to the nominal capacity of SOE in each case. According to the study, in an SOE-based P2G system, the cost of synthetic natural gas (SNG) production will fall by 15-21% by 2030 and 29-37% by 2050. SNG production would cost 3.15-3.75 EUR2023/kgSNG in 2030 and 2.6-3.0 EUR2023/kgSNG in 2050 for systems with SOE power >10 MW. Generally, product cost reductions occur as a result of material development and large-scale production, which influences the system's CAPEX. According to the research, the technology will break even by 2050. The large-scale power-to-gas system with a total of 40 GW installed capacity delivers a product price of 2.4 EUR2023/kgSNG with the average conversion efficiency of 68%.

Techno-Economic Analysis of the Optimum Configuration for Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Cycles in Concentrating Solar Power Systems.

There is a general agreement among researchers that supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) cycles will be part of the next generation of thermal power plants, especially in concentrating solar power (CSP) plants. While certain studies focus on maximizing the efficiency of these cycles in the hope of achieving a reduction in electricity costs, it is important to note that this assumption does not always hold true. This work provides a comprehensive analysis of the differences between minimizing the cost and maximizing the efficiency for the most remarkable sCO2 cycles. The analysis considers the most important physical uncertainties surrounding CSP and sCO2 cycles, such as turbine inlet temperature, ambient temperature, pressure drop and turbomachinery efficiency. Moreover, the uncertainties related to cost are also analyzed, being divided into uncertainties of sCO2 component costs and uncertainties of heating costs. The CSP system with partial cooling (sometimes with reheating and sometimes without it) is the cheapest configuration in the analyzed cases. However, the differences in cost are generally below 5% (and sometimes neglectable), while the differences in efficiency are significantly larger and below 15%. Besides the much lower efficiency of systems with simple cycle, if the heating cost is low enough, their cost could be even lower than the cost of the system with partial cooling. Systems with recompression cycles could also achieve costs below systems with partial cooling if the design's ambient temperature and the pressure drop are low.

Highly Exposed NH2 Edge on Fragmented g-C3 N4 Framework with Integrated Molybdenum Atoms for Catalytic CO2 Cycloaddition: DFT and Techno-Economic Assessment.

This study focuses on the applicability of single-atom Mo-doped graphitic carbon nitride (GCN) nanosheets which are specifically engineered with high surface area (exfoliated GCN), NH2 rich edges, and maximum utilization of isolated atomic Mo for propylene carbonate (PC) production through CO2 cycloaddition of propylene oxide (PO). Various operational parameters are optimized, for example, temperature (130 °C), pressure (20 bar), catalyst (Mo2 GCN), and catalyst mass (0.1 g). Under optimal conditions, 2% Mo-doped GCN (Mo2 GCN) has the highest catalytic performance, especially the turnover frequency (TOF) obtained, 36.4 h-1 is higher than most reported studies. DFT simulations prove the catalytic performance of Mo2 GCN significantly decreases the activation energy barrier for PO ring-opening from 50-60 to 4.903 kcal mol-1 . Coexistence of Lewis acid/base group improves the CO2 cycloaddition performance by the formation of coordination bond between electron-deficient Mo atom with O atom of PO, while NH2 surface group disrupts the stability of CO2 bond by donating electrons into its low-level empty orbital. Steady-state process simulation of the industrial-scale consumes 4.4 ton h-1 of CO2 with PC production of 10.2 ton h-1 . Techno-economic assessment profit from Mo2 GCN is estimated to be 60.39 million USD year-1 at a catalyst loss rate of 0.01 wt% h-1 .

Evaluating Sustainable Development Pathways for Protein- and Peptide-Based Bioadsorbents for Phosphorus Recovery from Wastewater.

Recovering phosphate (P) from point sources such as wastewater effluent is a priority in order to alleviate the impacts of eutrophication and implement a circular economy for an increasingly limited resource. Bioadsorbents featuring P-binding proteins and peptides offer exquisite P specificity and sensitivity for achieving ultralow P concentrations, i.e., <100 µg P L-1, a discharge limit that has been implemented in at least one treatment facility in nine U.S. states. To prioritize research objectives for P recovery in wastewater treatment, we compared the financial and environmental sustainability of protein/peptide bioadsorbents to those of LayneRT anion exchange resin. The baseline scenario (reflecting lab-demonstrated performance at a full-scale implementation) had costs that were 3 orders of magnitude higher than those for typical wastewater treatment. However, scenarios exploring bioadsorbent improvements, including increasing the P-binding capacity per unit volume by using smaller P-selective peptides and nanoparticle base materials and implementing reuse, dramatically decreased median impacts to $1.06 m-3 and 0.001 kg CO2 equiv m-3; these values are in line with current wastewater treatment impacts and lower than the median LayneRT impacts of $4.04 m-3 and 0.19 kg CO2 equiv m-3. While the financial viability of capturing low P concentrations is a challenge, incorporating the externalities of environmental impacts may provide a feasible path forward to motivate ultralow P capture.

Production of sustainable biofuels from microalgae with CO2 bio-sequestration and life cycle assessment.

Due to anthropogenic emissions, there is an increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. Microalgae are versatile, universal, and photosynthetic microorganisms present in nature. Biological CO2 sequestration using microalgae is a novel concept in CO2 mitigation strategies. In the current review, the difference between carbon capture and storage (CCS), carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS), and carbon capture and utilization (CCU) is clarified. The current status of CO2 sequestration techniques is discussed, including various methods and a comparative analysis of abiotic and biotic sequestration. Particular focus is given to sequestration methods associated with microalgae, including advantages of CO2 bio-sequestration using microalgae, a summary of microalgae species that tolerate high CO2 concentrations, biochemistry of microalgal CO2 biofixation, and elements influencing the microalgal CO2 sequestration. In addition, this review highlights and summarizes the research efforts made on the production of various biofuels using microalgae. Notably, Chlorella sp. is found to be the most beneficial microalgae, with a sizeable hydrogen (H2) generation capability ranging from 6.1 to 31.2 mL H2/g microalgae, as well as the species of C. salina, C. fusca, Parachlorella kessleri, C. homosphaera, C. vacuolate, C. pyrenoidosa, C. sorokiniana, C. lewinii, and C. protothecoides. Lastly, the technical feasibility and life cycle analysis are analyzed. This comprehensive review will pave the way for promoting more aggressive research on microalgae-based CO2 sequestration.

Valorisation of food waste for valuable by-products generation with economic assessment.

This study assessed the techno-economic feasibility of a biorefinery for valuable by-products (mainly hydrogen, ethanol and fertilizer) generation from food waste. The plant was designed to be built in Zhejiang province (China) with a processing capacity of 100 t food waste per day. It was found that the total capital investment (TCI) and annual operation cost (AOC) of the plant were US$ 7625549 and US$ 2432290.7 year-1, respectively. After the tax, US$ 3141867.6 year-1 of net profit could be reached. The payback period (PBP) was 3.5 years at a 7% discount rate. The internal rate of return (IRR) and return on investment (ROI) were 45.54% and 43.88%, respectively. Shutdown condition could happen with the feed of food waste less than 7.84 t day-1 (2587.2 t year-1) for the plant. This work was beneficial for attracting interests and even investment for valuable by-products generation from food waste in large scale.

Multicriteria analysis of sewage sludge-based biodiesel production.

There is increasing attention on developing efficient processes including circular economy principles, and obtaining fuels from wastewater treatment feedstocks is among the most promising. As a wastewater treatment byproduct, sewage sludge is a source of lipids that can be converted to biodiesel in a transesterification process. Economic and environmental analysis have been applied to a 60 m3/h sewage sludge plant, exploring 32 process alternatives. Using solvent extraction from wet sewage sludge, the high cost associated with the drying step is skipped. The wet alternatives with low amounts of solvent and acid usage depicted higher performance compared to the dry ones. Incorporating additional extraction stages increases both the financial gains and environmental impacts. As a result, a multicriteria analysis is implemented to ascertain the optimum process based on different priorities. The case with 0.5:1 (v/v) of hexane to biomass ratio, 3-stage extractor, 60 min residence time and pH 4 was the optimum alternative in most criteria.

Techno-economic assessment of a novel algal-membrane system versus conventional wastewater treatment and advanced potable reuse processes: Part II.

This study developed a comprehensive techno-economic assessment (TEA) framework to evaluate an innovative algae resource recovery and near zero-liquid discharge potable reuse system (i.e., the main system) in comparison with a conventional potable water reuse system (i.e., the benchmark system). The TEA study aims to estimate the levelized costs of water of individual units and integrated processes including secondary wastewater treatment, advanced water purification for potable reuse, and sludge treatment. This would provide decision-makers valuable information regarding the capital and operational costs of the innovative main system versus a typical potable water reuse treatment train, along with possible routes of cost optimization and improvements for the design of full-scale facilities. The main system consists of (i) a novel algal-based wastewater treatment coupled with a dual forward osmosis and seawater reverse osmosis (Algal FO-SWRO) membranes system for potable water reuse and hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) to produce bioenergy and subsequent nutrients extraction from the harvested algal biomass. The benchmark system includes (ii) an advanced water purification facility (AWPF) that consists of a conventional activated sludge biological treatment (CAS), microfiltration (MF), brackish water reverse osmosis (BWRO), ultraviolet/advanced oxidation process (UV-AOP), and granular activated carbon (GAC), with anaerobic digestion for sludge treatment. Capital expenditures (CAPEX) and operational expenditures (OPEX) were calculated for each unit of both systems (i.e., sub-systems). Based on a 76% overall water recovery designed for the benchmark system, the water cost was estimated at $2.03/m3. The highest costs in the benchmark system were found on the CAS and the anaerobic digester, with the UV-AOP combined with GAC for hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) quenching as the driving factor in the increased costs of the system. The cost of the main system, based on an overall 88% water recovery, was estimated to be $1.97/m3, with costs mostly driven by the FO and SWRO membranes. With further cost reduction and optimization for FO membranes such as membrane cost, water recovery, and flux, the main system can provide a much more economically viable alternative in its application than a typical benchmark system.

Biomass-based adsorbents for post-combustion CO2 capture: Preparation, performances, modeling, and assessment.

The adsorbents are critical carriers in the process of adsorption-based post-combustion CO2 capture. Biomass-based adsorbents (BAs) are considered to have great potential because of their high efficiency, low cost, and good sustainability. To understand the methods, theories, and technologies of BAs-based CO2 capture, this work analyzes their preparation and activation/modification, influencing factors, mechanisms, thermodynamics/kinetics, regeneration and cycle performances, and the pathway to application. It is found that BAs prepared by pyrolysis, chemical activation, and modification with dual heteroatoms are more conducive to improving adsorption sites. CO2 adsorption capacity positively correlates with elemental C and fixed carbon of feedstocks, but negatively with moisture. The BAs prepared at 550-600 °C have high performance. The specific surface area (SSA) increases as the preparation time increases by 9.4%-93.4%. The adsorption capacity is positively correlated to the SSA (R = 0.880) and microporous volume (R = 0.773). Moreover, it decreases linearly with increasing operating temperature with the slope of -0.6 mmol/(g·°C) but increases exponentially with increasing operating pressure and CO2 concentration with the power of 0.824. The adsorption process includes physical and/or physicochemical adsorption. Freundlich isotherm equation and pseudo-second-order model characterize the adsorption thermodynamics and kinetics more effectively with R2 = 0.985-1.000 and R2 = 0.894-1.000. The quantum chemistry indicates that most BAs modified with non-metallic belong to physisorption. The regeneration of BAs has low energy consumption (<3.44 MJ/kg CO2) and loss rate (<8%). Furthermore, the technical pathway is proposed for application. Finally, the challenges are also presented to facilitate the development of BAs-CO2 capture.

Feasibility of Producing Electricity, Hydrogen, and Chlorine via Reverse Electrodialysis.

Reverse electrodialysis (RED) is a technology to generate electricity from two streams with different salinities. While RED systems have been conventionally used for electricity generation, recent works explored combining RED for production of valuable gases. This work investigates the feasibility of producing hydrogen and chlorine in addition to electricity in an RED stack and identifies potential levers for improvement. A simplified one-dimensional model is adopted to assess the technical and economic feasibility of the process. We notice a strong disparity in typical current densities of RED fed with seawater and river water and that in typical water (or chlor-alkali) electrolysis. This can be partly mitigated by using brine and seawater as RED feeds. Considering such an RED system, we estimate a hydrogen production of 1.37 mol/(m2 h) and an electrical power density of 1.19 W/m2. Although this exceeds previously reported hydrogen production rates in combination with RED, the levelized costs of products are 1-2 orders of magnitude higher than the current market prices at the current state. The levelized costs of products are very sensitive to the membrane price and performance. Hence, going forward, manufacturing thinner and highly selective membranes is required to make the system competitive against the consolidated technologies.

Design and preliminary techno-economic assessment of a pilot scale pharmaceutical wastewater treatment system for ammonia removal and recovery of fertilizer.

Recovery of nutrients from wastewater has a paramount importance for a sustainable and safe environment. In this study removal of ammonia and recovery of resources in the form of struvite from a complex pharmaceutical acidic wastewater having high concentration of ammoniacal nitrogen (NH4-N > 40 g/L) and other co-existing contaminants (magnesium, phosphorous, phenol etc.) was explored. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was employed for design of experiments and process optimization. RSM results revealed that removal of ammoniacal nitrogen, i.e., struvite precipitation was found to be maximum in alkaline pH (10.5-11.0) at a N:Mg molar ratio (1:0.030 to 1:0.035) and N:P molar ratio (1:0.025 to 1:0.030). X-Ray diffraction, thermo-gravimetric analysis and Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy confirmed the presence of struvite crystals in the obtained precipitate. Techno-economic assessment (TEA) based on mass energy balance principle and market equipment specifications revealed that a pilot-scale plant set up would have a break-even period of 1.06 years with a return on investment as 94.28%. This clearly elucidated the economic viability of the developed process for industrial applications for management of high ammonia laden pharmaceutical wastewater. While further specific technological improvements are needed for reduction of cost, this study will guide researchers and industries for careful selection of target markets to reduce the cost for successful implementation.

Energy requirements and economics of acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) extractive fermentation: a solvent-based comparative assessment.

The reindustrialization of acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) fermentation is hampered by its significant production cost, linked to high product inhibition and low product yield. ABE fermentation can be significantly enhanced by integrating in situ liquid-liquid extraction. In this study, hybrid simulations using Excel® and ASPEN Plus® were performed based on solvent-dependent experimental data (product titer, yield and productivity) to consider the physiological response of the microorganism in specific extractive ABE fermentations, and to quantify the energy requirements and the economic improvement of the overall process. Four scenarios, based on two different solvents (2-butyl-1-octanol, 2B1O, and a vegetable oil, VO) applied in batch or fed-batch operation, were compared with the batch conventional process. Total energy demand decreased in all extractive configurations and the greatest energy savings (61%) were reached with the VO-based fed-batch operation. However, the highest profit increase was achieved with 2B1O in fed-batch mode, reducing the minimum butanol selling price by 29% over the base case, along with 34% savings in raw materials and 80% wastewater reduction. The techno-economical solvent-based comparative evaluation is a useful tool to identify key challenges to be tackled when revisiting ABE extractive fermentation.

Towards Higher Moral and Economic Goals in Renewable Energy.

The European Union's (EU) funding of electricity made of biogas that is obtained from purpose-grown plants accelerated the global boom of renewable energy two decades ago. Tens of thousands of biogas plants were built in EU farms soon after. As this specific trend toward renewable energy globally spreads, it has the potential to alter the features of agriculture in the future. Such conceptual changes are related to a variety of socio-economic and environmental implications that manifest itself over a large time scale. Regarding renewables made of purpose-grown plants, a majority of reservations are related to its production economy, particularly since these biofuels are expected to compete with food or feed. So far, little attention has been paid to the fact that the fields of farms that run biogas stations are subject to shortly repeated erosive crops followed by the intensive application of the fermentation residues obtained. The various types of soil on different European farms, which have been operating biogas stations for at least two decades, were analyzed. It was revealed for the first time that such practices cause soil degradation and pose a threat to food production, which has been overlooked until now. The relations between ethical and economical points of view are discussed.

Techno-economic assessment of solar energy coupling with large-scale desalination plant: The case of Morocco.

This paper examines the cost competitiveness of an extra-large-scale (275,000 m3/d) solar-powered desalination, taking as a case study the Chtouka Ait Baha plant in Morocco. It assesses the conditions at which solar Photovoltaics (PV) and Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) would be competitive with a grid (mainly fossil) driven desalination plant for the reference year and by 2030. The paper considers also a scenario where battery storage complements PV power generation. To conduct the analysis, a simple model of water cost calculation is built. Second, the cost related to energy consumption is calculated for different power supply options to evaluate the impact of energy provision cost on the final cost of water. The first main result of this paper is that desalinated water can be obtained at an acceptable cost of around 1 $/m3. The second one is that PV without storage remains the cheapest power supply option today and by 2030. Storage based solution appears less competitive today but can be more attractive in a framework of increasing electricity grid prices and higher flexibility requirements in the future. The paper gives recommendations regarding the implication of different technology choices in the framework of the future Moroccan energy system.

A Comprehensive Review on Biomethane Production from Biogas Separation and its Techno-Economic Assessments.

Biogas offers significant benefits as a renewable energy source, contributing to decarbonization, waste management, and economic development. This comprehensive review examines the historical, technological, economic, and global aspects of biomethane production, focusing on the key players such as China, the European Union, and North America, and associated opportunities and challenges as well as future prospects from an Australia perspective. The review begins with an introduction to biogas, detailing its composition, feedstock sources, historical development, and anaerobic digestion (AD) process. Subsequently, it delves into major biomethane production technologies, including physicochemical absorption, high-pressure water scrubbing (HPWS), amine scrubbing (AS), pressure swing adsorption (PSA), membrane permeation/separation (MP), and other technologies including organic solvent scrubbing and cryogenic separation. The study also discusses general guidelines of techno-economic assessments (TEAs) regarding biomethane production, outlining the methodologies, inventory analysis, environmental life cycle assessment (LCA), and estimated production costs. Challenges and opportunities of biogas utilization in Australia are explored, highlighting and referencing global projections, polarization in production approaches, circularity in waste management, and specific considerations for Australia. The review concludes discussing future perspectives for biomethane, emphasizing the importance of technological advancements, policy support, and investment in realizing its full potential for sustainable energy and waste management solutions.

Sustainable synergistic approach to chemolithotrophs-supported bioremediation of wastewater and flue gas.

Flue gas emissions are the waste gases produced during the combustion of fuel in industrial processes, which are released into the atmosphere. These identical processes also produce a significant amount of wastewater that is released into the environment. The current investigation aims to assess the viability of simultaneously mitigating flue gas emissions and remediating wastewater in a bubble column bioreactor utilizing bacterial consortia. A comparative study was done on different growth media prepared using wastewater. The highest biomass yield of 3.66 g L-1 was achieved with the highest removal efficiencies of 89.80, 77.30, and 80.77% for CO2, SO2, and NO, respectively. The study investigated pH, salinity, dissolved oxygen, and biochemical and chemical oxygen demand to assess their influence on the process. The nutrient balance validated the ability of bacteria to utilize compounds in flue gas and wastewater for biomass production. The Fourier Transform-Infrared Spectrometry (FT-IR) and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analyses detected commercial-use long-chain hydrocarbons, fatty alcohols, carboxylic acids, and esters in the biomass samples. The nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) metabolomics detected the potential mechanism pathways followed by the bacteria for mitigation. The techno-economic assessment determined a feasible total capital investment of 245.74$ to operate the reactor for 288 h. The bioreactor's practicability was determined by mass transfer and thermodynamics assessment. Therefore, this study introduces a novel approach that utilizes bacteria and a bioreactor to mitigate flue gas and remediate wastewater.

From biomass-derived fructose to γ-valerolactone: Process design and techno-economic assessment.

This work proposes a process design and techno-economic assessment for the production of γ-valerolactone from lignocellulosic derived fructose at industrial scale, with the aim of exploring its feasibility, identifying potential obstacles, and suggesting improvements in the context of France. First, the conceptual process design is developed, the process modelled and optimized. Second, different potential scenarios for the energy supply to the process are analyzed by means of a set of economic key performance indicators, aimed at highlighting the best potential profitability scenario for the sustainable exploitation of waste biomass in the context analyzed. The lowest Minimum Selling Price for GVL is obtained at 10 kt/y plant fueled by biomass, i.e. 1.89 €/kg, along with the highest end-of-live revenue, i.e. 113 M€. Finally, a sensitivity and uncertainties analysis, based on Monte Carlo simulations, are carried out on the results in order to test their robustness with respect to key input parameters.

Design of a sustainable biorefinery for the valorization of waste from the baker's yeast industry through process simulation: A case study for the production of animal feed, fertilizers, and biofuels from vinasse.

The present work deals with the biotechnological valorization of the vinasse through a sustainable biorefinery. The aim was to design and analyze, through process simulation, a biorefinery for the valorization of vinasse in products such as organo-mineral fertilizers, supplements for animal feed, and biogas. For this purpose, the SuperPro Designer software was used, and a modified hierarchical decomposition method was applied. One base case and three scenarios were techno-economically assessed, and the net present value was used as a selection criterion. The technological configuration with the best techno-economic criterion was analyzed socially and environmentally. The results suggest that the best configuration of the biorefinery corresponded to scenario 3, with a net present value of USD$73,364,000, a number of direct employees of 38, and a blue water footprint of 16.16 m3/h. These findings highlight the potential of the design of biorefineries to address the valorization of vinasses in Colombia and worldwide.