In his doctoral work, Shemelis Nigatu Gebremariam concludes that bulk CaO catalyzed transesterification is economically feasible and technically efficient way to produce fuel quality biodiesel from cheap and low value oil feedstock. Sulfuric acid, enzyme, ionic liquid and nano CaO catalyzed options are found to be technically efficient even though they are not economically feasible for the market scenario considered. In addition, oil cost, biodiesel price, ethanol cost and catalyst cost are the main market variables affecting the economic feasibility of biodiesel production processes, oil cost being the most affecting.
- The CaO catalyzed transesterification of non-edible oil feedstock is technically efficient and economically affordable for production of least cost biodiesel fuel
- Oil cost has considerable effect on profitability of biodiesel production process
- Downstream process layout variation could considerably affect the economic feasibility of biodiesel production using the same type of catalyst
- Enzyme catalyzed transesterification option is technically efficient but not economically competitive for biodiesel production
- The main goal of this PhD research is to identify technically efficient and economically affordable technology for sustainable production of biodiesel from cheap feedstock in Ethiopian market scenario.
- The use of biodiesel for fuel in place of fossil diesel is mainly hindered by the high cost of biodiesel production. Thus, the immediate solution for this is identifying technically efficient and economically feasible technology for production of fuel quality biodiesel from cheap oil feedstock.
- The research could provide clear information on the techno-economic performances among the various catalyst technologies and process layouts involved in this study. In the wider context, it could also provide a ground to investigate the techno-economic performances of the catalyst technologies in different market scenarios. In general, the study helps to get the preliminary feasibility information about the processes involved to screen the better ones for further detailed techno-economic evaluations.