Techno-Economic Analysis: Synthetic Biology

Techno-economic analysis in synthetic biology is the combination of conceptual process design and production cost estimation activities. Synthetic biology refers to microorganisms that have been genetically altered to produce a foreign molecule as part of their normal metabolism. Products include small organic molecules, (alcohols, fuel-range oils), proteins, and pharmaceutical ingredients.

The techno-economic analysis is generally carried out by a chemical process engineer with relevant experience. For synthetic biology products, this experience may include fermenter design and scale-up, downstream processing, and sanitary/sterile/cGMP design. Consideration must be given to oxygen transfer requirements and product yields, from customer or literature sources. A successful TEA requires an expert with proficiency in (and access to) flowsheet simulation software and capital cost estimation software.

Techno-economic analysis consultants may assist developers with plant design and simulation, equipment selection and sizing, capital cost estimation, and cost-of-consumables estimation. They can help developers communicate a technology’s commercial potential to investors and prioritize research areas with respect to economic impact. On the investor side, they may assist with due diligence activities including an independent review of heat & material balances.

With over 150 experts worldwide, Lee Enterprises Consulting has experts in many specific clean and renewable areas, including anaerobic digestion, fermentation, biomass, conversion technologies for things like tires and railroad ties, organic synthesis, fuel additives, ethanol gas, biodiesel fuel including algae biofuels, solid-state and industrial fermentation, green energy grants, ag-biotech, agricultural waste, alcohol fuels, alternative proteins and animal-free products, sustainable foods, beverage fermentation, biocatalysis, biodiesel conversion, biogas production, biomass power, carbon intensity, co2 utilization, combined heat & power, Fischer-Tropsch technology, food waste, hydrothermal carbonization, industrial enzymes, landfill management, microbial fermentation, organic synthesis, plastic pyrolysis, plastic recycling, plastic waste, pyrolysis oil, reactor design, renewable identification number, the Renewable Fuel Standard (rfs2), solid recovered fuels, torrefaction and torrefied biomass, waste to energy, and waste-to-hydrogen.   This is a multidisciplinary group of green energy consultants that is a virtual “one-stop-shop” for any client need and handles projects of all types and sizes.

Look at our experts and the services we provide.  Most of our experts are also available to advise and serve as expert witnesses in bioeconomy litigation matters.  For the larger projects, we specialize in putting together full-service, interdisciplinary teams with one point of contact.  See the video about LEC here.  Call us at 1+ (501) 833-8511 or email us for more information.

For more information see Getting the Most from Techno-Economic Analysis.