Vinasse biogas energy and economic analysis in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil

The alcohol industry contributes significantly to the Brazilian economy, having high power generation potential through vinasse, the main waste produced with a high organic load. The amount of sugarcane and the volume of vinasse produced were calculated. Also, the production of biogas from the cultivation area belonging to each municipality of the state was estimated. Economic viability was assessed using the net present value (NPV) and the Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE) parameters. According to the results obtained, energy potential, NPV and LCOE maps were generated from all municipalities, followed by the combination of the cartographic information with the generated energy data, obtaining several classes through the Jenks optimization method of ArcGis (R) software. Total electric power generation was determined to be 659 GWh/yr; 33% of the studied municipalities were identified as economically viable. The total energy output would be able to provide power to 295,702 inhabitants and 0.45% of the state's energy demands. Power and viability maps were constructed for better visualization of the results. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.