Link to Part 1 (With an Infographic Introduction to the Bioeconomy)
Scalability in the bioeconomy involves a variety of context-specific considerations that can differ widely based on the technology or product. Academic studies offer valuable examples that illustrate how scalability is assessed across diverse bioeconomy sectors, shedding light on the methods used to evaluate scale-up potential.
Commercialization progresses through distinct stages: beginning with tube tests to evaluate feasibility and functionality, progressing to bench-scale setups in the lab for process refinement and optimization, and moving to pilot-scale testing to validate the process at an intermediate scale under industrial-like conditions. The final stage is commercial-scale production, where the process is expanded to meet market demands and ensure economic viability.
Scalability encompasses both transitions between stages and expansions within commercial production, such as increasing output from small to larger-scale operations. Academic studies may vary in their starting points for scaling up.
Petermeier et al. (2022) presents an eco-friendly method for synthesizing bio-based alternatives to styrene, a crucial material used in manufacturing polystyrene for applications such as insulation, pipes, and food containers. The process utilizes a green chemoenzymatic cascade, integrating chemical and enzymatic reactions into a single, sustainable sequence. The study emphasizes scaling up from tube tests to bench-scale production. Scalability is evaluated through three key metrics: yield (the amount of the desired product obtained), isolated yield (the purified product expressed as a percentage of the theoretical maximum), and HPLC purity (the chemical purity of the final product as measured by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography).
Chen et al. (2012) investigates the scalable production of biliverdin IXα, a green pigment with significant therapeutic potential, using recombinant Escherichia coli (E. coli), a commonly used bacterium in biotechnology. Traditional methods rely on extracting biliverdin from mammalian bile, which often results in low purity due to contamination by unwanted isomers. Alternative non-mammalian systems, such as yeast, have shown promise but struggle with scalability and low yields. This study presents an optimized process utilizing two engineered strains of E. coli to enhance gene expression and optimize growth conditions for producing high-purity biliverdin IXα. The researchers successfully scaled production to a 100L bioreactor using a lactose-based medium, achieving yields consistent with those observed in smaller 2L bioreactors. This demonstrates the process’s potential for large-scale production while maintaining efficiency and consistency.
Dunn et al. (2018) provides a comprehensive evaluation of bioeconomy projects, emphasizing scalability as a key factor. The paper assesses the technology readiness, economic viability, and environmental impacts of 24 bio-blendstocks, comparing them to biochemical ethanol, a bio-blendstock that has been commercially developed over the past decade. While the 24 bio-blendstocks are in the early stages of commercialization, biochemical ethanol serves as a well-established reference point.
The paper addresses both bench-scale and commercial-scale aspects of biomass-derived blendstocks. It evaluates technologies that are currently at various stages of development, including those that are on the path to commercialization as well as those still undergoing research and development at bench-scale.
Although the paper identifies technology readiness as scalability, distinguishing it from economic viability and environmental impact, the latter two—particularly economic viability—offer valuable insights into scalability. For instance, the metric “Percentage of product price dependent on co-products” evaluates how much the economic viability of a biomass-derived blendstock depends on co-products like chemicals or electricity. A lower dependency on co-products (less than 30%) indicates that the blendstock can be economically viable on its own, which is favorable for scalability. In contrast, a higher dependency (greater than 50%) suggests the process relies heavily on co-products for profitability, complicating scaling efforts and making large-scale implementation less feasible.
Another relevant metric is “Competition for the biomass-derived blendstock or its predecessor.” This evaluates how market dynamics and competition for feedstocks impact economic viability and scalability. Significant competition for the same biomass resources or the blendstock as a valuable chemical intermediate can hinder the ability to scale up production effectively. Additional metrics, such as the ratio of state-of-technology (SOT) to target cost and the cost of feedstock, also play critical roles in evaluating scalability. Conversely, various metrics under “technology readiness” encompass information not only about scalability but also economic viability, such as “production process sensitivity to feedstock type,” “robustness of process to feedstocks of different specifications,” and “co-optima bio-blendstock production SOT cost.
Not all biotechnologies are equally scalable, underscoring the importance of evaluating their intrinsic scalability alongside practical considerations for large-scale implementation. For instance, Lu et al. (2018) introduces an innovative approach to recycling oyster shells into high-purity calcite powders using mechanochemical and hydrothermal treatments. Hydrothermal synthesis, generally recognized as scalable due to its reliance on controlled temperature and pressure conditions, still demands careful attention to reactor design, energy efficiency, and product recovery during scale-up. Similarly, while mechanochemical synthesis offers inherent scalability, challenges such as energy consumption, heat dissipation, and equipment durability can complicate the transition to industrial-scale production. Achieving consistent product quality at scale further requires meticulous control over factors like particle size distribution and reaction kinetics. Addressing these challenges is vital to harnessing the full potential of these biotechnologies for sustainable and impactful applications.
References:
Chen, D., Brown, J., Kawasaki, Y., Bommer, J. C., & Takemoto, J. Y. (2012). Scalable production of biliverdin IXα by Escherichia coli. BMC Biotechnology, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6750-12-89
Dunn, J. B., Biddy, M., Jones, S., Cai, H., Benavides, P. T., Markham, J., Tao, L., Tan, E., Kinchin, C., Davis, R., Dutta, A., Bearden, M., Clayton, C., Phillips, S., Rappé, K., & Lamers, P. (2018). Environmental, Economic, and Scalability Considerations and Trends of Selected Fuel Economy-Enhancing Biomass-Derived Blendstocks. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, 6(1), 561-569. https://doi.org/10.1021/acssuschemeng.7b02871
Lu, J., Cong, X., Li, Y., Hao, Y., & Wang, C. (2018). Scalable recycling of oyster shells into high purity calcite powders by the mechanochemical and hydrothermal treatments. Journal of Cleaner Production, 172, 1978–1985. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.11.228
Petermeier, P., Jan Philipp Bittner, Müller, S., Byström, E., & Kara, S. (2022). Design of a green chemoenzymatic cascade for scalable synthesis of bio-based styrene alternatives. Green Chemistry, 24(18), 6889–6899. https://doi.org/10.1039/d2gc01629j
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