Projeto sustentável de micro usina de etanol hidratado e biofertilizante a partir de resíduos da batata-doce

Abstract

The present work aimed to design a micro plant for producing hydrated ethanol and biofertilizer from sweet potato waste, seeking to maximize the use of available resources and promote energy independence and sustainable agriculture. Local production of biofuels was identified as economically and environmentally advantageous, meeting the growing demand for biofuels in Brazil. Besides meeting the demand of the agricultural sector, the production of biofertilizer aims to minimize industrial waste by reusing it in a sustainable and environmentally conscious manner. Considering the low sugarcane production in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, sweet potato emerged as a promising alternative for ethanol production due to the availability of large quantities of waste from this tuber, which are discarded because they do not meet commercial requirements. The implementation of the project involved defining the products, evaluating technological routes, designing the production unit, control and instrumentation system, as well as conducting an economic analysis. The strategic location of the plant and the selection of the best technologies contributed to process efficiency and environmental sustainability. The economic analysis for the production of 2 m3/day of hydrated ethanol and 3.2 m3/day of biofertilizer demonstrated the financial feasibility of the venture, with a return on investment achieved in the first year of production. The project presented a Net Present Value (NPV) of R$ 85,784,146.84, considering production costs, market prices, demand, and investment payback period. In summary, this academic work was able to design and implement an efficient and potentially viable production process for producing hydrated ethanol and biofertilizer from sweet potato waste, contributing to circular economy, environmental sustainability, and regional development.