Small‐scale processing of biomass for biorefinery

Abstract The current fossil‐based economy is moving towards a more bio‐based economy. To enable this transition, many different processes for biorefinery are being developed. Small‐scale biorefinery processes can be beneficial, not only socially and ecologically, but also economically. The main motivation for small‐scale biorefinery is local re‐use of materials, like water, minerals, organic matter, CO 2 , and heat. This minimizes costs for recycling and transport. A smart and integrated process design can beat the advantages of economy of scale applied in large‐scale processes. Examples of two fully operational small‐scale systems that produce ethanol and starch are given to illustrate our theory. Specific design rules for small‐scale biorefineries are defined. The focus in design for small‐scale processes should be on minimizing capital costs. Moreover, it is shown that separation of relatively simple pre‐processing at small decentralized and more capital‐intensive processing at large centralized factories, respectively, is advantageous. Integration with a biogas and combined heat and power (CHP) unit will furthermore allow usage of residual material to produce energy needed in the rest of the process. © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons Ltd