Techno-economic analysis of recombinant Endo-β-1,4-Glucanase production from Escherichia coli Eg-RK2 culture using oil palm empty fruit bunch

Abstract

A techno-economic analysis of recombinant cellulase production from E. coli Eg-RK2 was conducted to support the fulfilling of Indonesia's energy roadmap for ethanol production. The plant utilizes OPEFB as a primary substrate in cellulase production, with an expected lifetime of 12 years. The plant is assumed to be built in Indonesia and it will fulfill 1% of the total market demand. The effect of different pretreatment processes (alkaline, steam explosion, and sequential acid-alkaline) on the profitability parameter was also studied. A simulation using SuperPro Designer was used to calculate the mass and energy balance based on the kinetic parameters of E. coli EgRK2. A technology evaluation showed that alkaline pretreatment provides the highest yield with no known inhibitors formed. The steam explosion pretreatment offers the lowest rate of lignin and hemicellulose removal, and it is understood to form known fermentation inhibitors. The NPVs of the alkaline, steam explosion and sequential acid-alkaline pretreatments are USD 32,121,000, USD-36,841,000, and USD 384,000, respectively, which means the alkaline pretreatment is economically very feasible for the production of cellulase.