Revamping of the Mantova Chemical District as short-chain lignocellulosic biorefinery

The Mantova Chemical District is a Site of National (and European) Interest (SIN). It comprises an oil refinery specialized in gasoline owned by Mol and Ies societies, a petrochemical plant (olefins) owned by Eni Versalis, an air separation unit and a reformer plant owned by Sapio and a series of industries working in the area of chipboard. Nowadays the oil refinery is off and the industrial network is deeply suffering from it; authorities at all levels (town, province, region, and ministry) are moving fast to convert the old facility into a biorefinery. This paper illustrates the studies and partial results of the funded project BioMAN for the conversion of the old refinery into a lignocellulosic biorefinery. A process framework was proposed for the establishment of an integrated biorefinery based on stablished and emerging technologies. In future works, a further elaboration of such scheme will allow determining optimal operating conditions through optimization algorithms. A preliminary economical assessment of methanol production showed potential for revenue production: accumulated net income was 61 mi £ in five years. Methanol production was 50 kt per year; the yearly amount of biomass required, approximately 160 kt, is in agreement with current reports of local availability.