Use of the VSB to Assess Biorefinery Strategies

Abstract

The VSB has been used to assess several configurations of sugarcane biorefineries, including first- and second-generation facilities with alternative features, such as harvesting extension with other crops and integrated production of sugar, ethanol, electricity, and chemicals like n-butanol, as well as thermochemical routes. In this chapter, in-depth examples of selected routes are provided in order to illustrate the different methods that can be applied for the sustainability impact assessment, as well as some results obtained with the VSB.