Technical, economic, and environmental potential of glycerol hydrogenolysis: a roadmap towards sustainable green chemistry future

Abstract

The dilemma of fossil fuel use, political versatility, and global climate change have driven motivation that has led to growing interest in developing and implementing renewable energy and green chemical technologies. Glycerol, a by-product of biodiesel production, has become a focus of interest among both industry and academic communities due to its low cost and potential as a renewable green chemical building block. This substance has various applications in industries such as cosmetics, food, and pharmaceuticals, and even as a fuel additive. The renewable nature of glycerol and its wide range of potential applications make it an attractive alternative to traditional petrochemical-based products. In this work, a conceptual design of integrated glycerol hydrogenolysis with on-site hydrogen produced from glycerol reforming was proposed. The primary objective was to evaluate the economic potential and possible environmental footprint of the production of high-value chemicals derived from the glycerol produced via the hydrogenolysis route. The Industrial Park at Victoria was identified and selected as the desired plant location to produce high-value chemicals (i.e., acetol, ethylene glycol, and propanediol) based on a framework structured by the triple bottom line. Overall, under the conversion of 10 tonnes of glycerol per day to 1,2-propanediol, the plant managed to yield a good return on investment (ROI) and a payback period of 16.01% and 8.72 years, respectively (base case). Moreover, environmental analysis shows that the global warming potential (in terms of CO₂ emission) of the current work was two-fold lower than that of the conventional business-as-usual pathway (fossil-fuel route using propylene oxide as feedstock), suggesting that the conceptual design of an integrated glycerol hydrogenolysis process with on-site hydrogen produced from glycerol reforming is favorable in both economic and environmental aspects.