Economic assessment of biomass feedstocks for the chemical industry

Abstract New sources of raw materials and new technology must compete against the established chemical industry. This competition is assessed by an industry-wide analysis of all of the hundreds of processes and feedstocks that compose the chemical industry. We use a linear programming model of the industry to determine conditions under which aquatic biomass, algae, corn, corn stover, glucose, kelp, molasses, municipal solid waste, sugar beet, sugar cane, wheat straw, lignin and wood can compete as chemical feedstocks with petroleum, natural gas and coal. Of the several sources studied, wood seems to be the most attractive biomass feedstock.