The V-factor: A new metric for gauging the efficiency & profitability of manufacturing processes for the bioeconomy

Authors

  • Saurabh C. Patankar The University of British Columbia
  • Sonal R. Ayakar The University of British Columbia
  • Scott Renneckar The University of British Columbia
  • Vikramaditya Ganapati Yadav The University of British Columbia http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1120-6392

Keywords:

Bioeconomy, valorization, profitability, sustainability, process metrics

Abstract

Several metrics have been formulated to evaluate the environmental impact of chemical manufacturing processes. However, there are no formulas for quick, back-of-the envelope estimation of their efficiency of resource utilisation and profitability, which are hugely influential when it comes to determining investments. Herein, we posit a new metric called the V-factor to estimate these parameters for manufacturing processes that utilize biomass. Additionally, we also argue that co-assessment of E- and V-factors will greatly facilitate the development of environmentally and economically sustainable processes for valorization of biomass.

Author Biographies

Saurabh C. Patankar, The University of British Columbia

Department of Wood Science, The University of British Columbia

Sonal R. Ayakar, The University of British Columbia

Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, The University of British Columbia

Scott Renneckar, The University of British Columbia

Department of Wood Science, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver

Vikramaditya Ganapati Yadav, The University of British Columbia

Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering & School of Biomedical Engineering, The University of British Columbia

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Published

2019-04-03

Issue

2019: Volume 4, Number 6

Section

Empirical Manuscripts

License

Manuscripts published in the journal are open access and copyrighted according to the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) which requires attribution to the author, but can be readily shared and adapted. BioProducts Business allows the author(s) to retain publishing rights without restrictions.