Alternatives of Small-Scale Biorefineries for the Integrated Production of Xylitol from Sugarcane Bagasse

Small-scale biorefinery from sugarcane bagasse offers new possibilities to the sugar and ethanol industries. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of a small-scale biorefinery for the production of xylitol from sugarcane bagasse. The liquid fraction from the autohydrolysis treatment was selected as the source of sugars for xylitol and two scenarios were analyzed for the residual solid: ethanol or pellet production. A technical-economic analysis of alternatives was applied. The internal rate of return (IRR) was used to compare the selected proposals. The highest IRR values were obtained when processing 70,000 dry tons per year of bagasse. The results showed promising prospects for a small-scale biorefinery with capacities above 20,000 dry tons per year (xylitol and pellets), and above 50,000 dry tons per year (xylitol and ethanol).