Sustainability analysis of biomass-based ethylene production

Ethylene (C2H4) is a critical chemical feedstock for polymer production (e.g., plastics); its global production is about 150 million ton/yr. Ethylene production accounts for 51.6% of the petrochemical production in Canada, and it is mainly produced in Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec, according to the Statistics Canada. Meanwhile, the industry is dealing with a variety of environmental issues such as emission of greenhouse gas (GHG), NOx and SOx. In order to achieve net-zero emission in 2050, significant efforts have to be done to improve the sustainability in the ethylene production.

In this project, we are interested in understanding the sustainability of two novel fossil fuel-based and biomass-based technologies. We will compare the sustainability metrics such as material acquisition, process efficiency, lifecycle GHG emission, recyclability, health and safety for the two technologies. The results from the project will allow us to evaluate the potential of implementing biomass-based ethylene production in Canada and India.

Faculty Supervisor:

XiaoYu Wu

Student:

Partner:

Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Sustainability & the Environment; Clean Technology; Green/Alternative Energy

University:

University of Waterloo

Program: