The Virtual Sugarcane Biorefinery (VSB) – an innovative tool for sustainability assessment of existing and emerging biorefineries

The Brazilian Bioethanol Science and Technology Laboratory (CTBE), integrated in the CNPEM – National Center for Research in Energy and Materials, develops high level R&D in the area of Bioenergy. Main CTBE’s research areas include low impact mechanization and sustainable agricultural management in sugarcane production as well as biomass conversion to ethanol and other renewable products.

 In order to assess the development of new technologies and innovations in the production and conversion of biomass, the Virtual Sugarcane Biorefinery (VSB) was developed at CTBE. The VSB is an innovative framework – based on computer simulation platforms – to perform techno-economic, environmental and social assessment of existing and emerging biorefinery alternatives considering the entire sugarcane chain (from biomass production to final use of products). Some evaluations using VSB comprise sugarcane straw recovery, cellulosic ethanol and butanol production, energy cane for harvesting extension, among others.