Sugarcane biorefineries: Case studies applied to the Brazilian sugar-alcohol industry

In this context this paper presents a study of five different configurations of biorefineries. Each case study being a system based on an autonomous distillery or sugar mill with an annexed distillery and coproduction of methanol from bagasse. The paper includes the use of sugarcane harvest residues (mainly straw) and a BIG-GT plant (Biomass Integrated Gasification-Gas Turbine) as alternatives to fulfill the energy demands of the complex.