Estimation of renewable-based steam costs

This work evaluates the production cost of renewable-based steam. A superstructure model is used to identify the most economical scheme to produce steam. The processing of different renewable resources such as solar, lignocellulosic biomass, and waste are included in a steam network. Results show that, taking into account the current price of steam based on natural gas (NG), lignocellulosic biomass offers better perspectives to become a competitive resource to produce steam when compared with solar radiation and biogas. Solar-based and biogas-based steams are only competitive when they are obtained via cogeneration scheme and a credit to the power produced is assigned. Finally, for each renewable resource, correlations were developed to estimate the cost of steam as a function of the raw material cost and availability. Such correlations are of particular value as part of any techno-economic analysis that considers the use of steam from renewable resources.