VIABILITY OF BIO-ELECTRICITY FROM SUGARCANE

  • Thaís Jeruzza Maciel Póvoas Souto Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco
  • Antônio Carlos Duarte Coelho Universidade Federal de Pernambuco
  • Romildo Morant de Holanda Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco
  • Alex Souza Moraes Universidade Acadêmica do Cabo de Santo Agostinho
  • Yenê Medeiros Paz Universidade Federal de Pernambuco
  • Rivaldo Jerônimo da Silva
Keywords: Biomass, Co-generation, sugar-energy plants

Abstract

Current analysis investigates the co-generation system in the use of sugarcane bagasse, tips and straw for the sugar-alcohol sector, and discusses its large-scale viability. Simulations were undertaken to calculate electric energy with data from the literature and from databases of plants in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil. Results showed that the addition of leaf tips and straw in the process provided a 5% increase when compared to the co-generation using exclusively bagasse. Since income from bagasse as fuel reached R$ 13,104,000.00, straw was included to improve energy efficiency and increase the production of bio-electricity, with an estimate of R$ 15,600,000.00. Energy surplus may be sold to the region´s energy-distributor firm. However, during the last decades, sugarcane-energy plants have become self-sufficient to demands for thermal, mechanical and electrical energy. Selling surplus energy has recently become a possibility, with an increase in producers´ assets. Increase in the use of biomass has made Brazilian energy matrix cleaner. The idea that sugar and ethanol are the main products of sugarcane plants should be superseded. Bio-electricity should also be one of their products due to the plants´ great co-generation capacity and self-sufficiency.

Author Biographies

Thaís Jeruzza Maciel Póvoas Souto, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco
Mestranda em Engenharia Ambiental na Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, UFRPE, Campus Recife (PE), Brasil.
Antônio Carlos Duarte Coelho, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco
Pós-Doutor em Processos Industriais de Engenharia Química pela École Centrale Paris. Professor adjunto da Universidade Federal de Pernambuco – UFPE, Campus Recife (PE), Brasil.
Romildo Morant de Holanda, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco
Doutor em Recursos Naturais pela Universidade de Campina Grande, UFCG, Brasil. Professor adjunto da Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, UFRPE, Campus Recife (PE), Brasil.
Alex Souza Moraes, Universidade Acadêmica do Cabo de Santo Agostinho
Pós-Doutor em Transporte de Poluentes Emergentes em Solo pela Université Joseph Fourier, Grenoble França. Professor adjunto da Universidade Acadêmica do Cabo de Santo Agostinho, UACS-UFRPE, Brasil.
Yenê Medeiros Paz, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco
Doutoranda em Desenvolvimento em meio Ambiente na Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, UFPE, Campus Recife (PE), Brasil.
Rivaldo Jerônimo da Silva
Mestrando em Engenharia Ambiental na Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, UFRPE, Campus Recife (PE), Brasil
Published
2018-06-29
Section
Agrobusiness