Techno-economic evaluation and life cycle assessment of a biorefinery using winery waste streams for the production of succinic acid and value-added co-products

Bioresour Technol. 2022 Mar:348:126295. doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2021.126295. Epub 2021 Nov 17.

Abstract

This study presents techno-economic evaluation and life cycle assessment of a novel biorefinery using the three main waste streams generated by wineries for the production of bio-based succinic acid (SA), crude phenolic-rich extract, grape-seed oil, calcium tartrate and crude tannin-rich extract. Process design has been employed for the estimation of material and energy balances and the sizing of unit operations. The Minimum Selling Price of succinic acid production within a winery waste biorefinery ranges from $1.23-2.76/kgSA depending on the market price and the potential end-uses of the extracted fractions. The Global Warming Potential and the Abiotic Depletion Potential of winery waste valorisation through the proposed biorefinery are 1.47 kg CO2-eq per kg dry waste and 25.2 MJ per kg dry waste, respectively. Biorefining of winery waste could lead to the development of a sustainable and novel bioeconomy business model with new market opportunities and efficient waste management.

Keywords: Biorefinery; Grape pomace; Grape stalks; Sustainability analysis; Wine lees.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biofuels
  • Life Cycle Stages
  • Phenols
  • Succinic Acid*
  • Waste Management*

Substances

  • Biofuels
  • Phenols
  • Succinic Acid