Over the past years, nanocellulose has attracted notice as a renewable and biodegradable alternative to synthetic materials [1]. Nanocellulose structures offer highly hydrophilic anti-biofouling surfaces and improve the membrane’s size-selective separation ability [2]. Despite these advantages, mechanical stability and economic viability remain to be significant challenges for nanocellulose-based membranes. One of the possibilities to tackle these obstacles is solvent-modified membranes. This study conducts a techno-economic analysis to assess the economic feasibility of nanocellulose-enabled membranes with tailored properties. Due to the novelty of such treatment, there is an evident lack of TEA studies on nanocellulose-based membranes and biobased materials. For the assessment, the operating (OPEX) and capital (CAPEX) expenditures were estimated based on the scale-up of laboratory process production. For a production capacity of 330 t/a, CAPEX was evaluated at 27.1 M€, and OPEX at 5.4 M€. The minimum selling price (MSP) was calculated at 3.61 € per m2 with a tax rate set at 25% and an internal rate of return (IRR) at 50%. The preliminary findings suggest that nanocellulose membranes have potential commercial competitivity with synthetic materials: prices for industrial-level ultrafiltration industrial level membranes range from 0.20 to 200 € per m2 [3]. The sensitivity analysis showed that CAPEX, tax, and IRR have the highest impact on MSP. Even though synthetic materials remain more industrially accessible and cost-effective, advancements in nanocellulose technology and increasing emphasis on biobased materials highlight the growing potential of nanocellulose-enabled membranes.
WWSC is a joint research center between KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Chalmers University of Technology and Linköping University. The base is a donation from the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation. The Swedish industry is supporting WWSC via the platform Treesearch.
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Email: conference2025@wwsc.se