Technoeconomic analysis of biofuels: A wiki-based platform for lignocellulosic biorefineries

We present a process model for a lignocellulosic ethanol biorefinery that is open to the biofuels academic community. Beyond providing a series of static results, the wiki-based platform provides a dynamic and transparent tool for analyzing, exploring, and communicating the impact of process advances and alternatives for biofuels production. The model is available for download (at http://econ.jbei.org) and will be updated based on feedback from the community of experts in biofuel-related fields. By making the assumptions and performance metrics of this model transparent, we anticipate this tool can provide a consensus on the energy-related, environmental, and economic performance of lignocellulosic ethanol.