Conversion efficiency (how much fuel you can realistically produce from a tonne of feedstock) is one of the fastest ways to compare waste categories. Buyers can use these benchmarks to pick feedstock that delivers higher output, smoother processing, and lower variability.
Below are practical, order-of-magnitude benchmarks (actual yields vary with moisture, contamination, pre-treatment, and plant technology).
Category-wise conversion yields
1) Used Cooking Oil (UCO) → Biodiesel (FAME)
- Typical yield: ~0.84–0.98 kg biodiesel per kg UCO (84–97.5% conversion range reported across studies). Sciepub
- Benchmark for planning: ~0.91 kg biodiesel per kg UCO. ICCT
- Why it performs well: UCO is an energy-dense, relatively direct conversion route.
2) Crop residues (Rice straw) → 2G Ethanol
A useful India-specific benchmark comes from an official 2G plant reference:
- ~200,000 tonnes rice straw → ~30 million litres ethanol/year
⇒ approx 150 L ethanol per tonne (site-specific but publishable as a real-world benchmark). Press Information Bureau+2 Advanced Biofuels USA+2
3) Pressmud (Sugar industry) → Biogas / Bio-CBG
- Typical biogas yield: ~82–105 m³ biogas per tonne of pressmud (reported range). World Biogas Association (WBA)
- Why it performs well: consistent industrial waste stream + good digestibility profile (vs many dry residues).
4) Food waste / organic MSW → Biomethane
Methane yield is often expressed per volatile solids (VS), but practical planning ranges are commonly used:
- Food waste mono-digestion methane yield ranges are widely reported (tech-dependent). ScienceDirect+1
- Practical takeaway: segregated food waste typically yields higher and more stable gas than mixed wet waste.
5) Rice straw → Biomethane
- Reported biomethane yield examples for rice straw vary substantially based on VS content and yield assumptions; published ranges include ~92–280 L CH₄ per kg (i.e., ~92–280 m³ CH₄ per tonne, depending on basis/assumptions). MDPI
- Note: dry residues often need pre-treatment/co-digestion to achieve stable yields.
6) Waste Plastics → Pyrolysis Oil
- Peer-reviewed reviews report liquid oil yields up to ~90 wt% in some systems (wide ranges by polymer, catalyst, and reactor). ScienceDirect
- Experimental studies often report ~60–76% oil under specific conditions. PMC
- Best performers: PE/PP-rich streams generally outperform mixed/contaminated plastics.
Processing efficiency by waste type
Efficiency isn’t only “yield”; it’s also how reliably plants can run:
- High efficiency, low variability: UCO (clean), pressmud/spent wash (industrial), segregated food waste. ICCT+2 World Biogas Association (WBA)+2
- Medium efficiency, higher variability: agro residues (straw/husk) due to moisture, ash/silica, and seasonal logistics. Press Information Bureau+1
- High potential, high sensitivity: plastic pyrolysis (very feedstock-quality dependent). ScienceDirect+1
Best-performing materials
If your goal is maximum output with minimum uncertainty, these typically rank well:
- UCO → Biodiesel (high conversion, clear QC parameters) ICCT+1
- Pressmud → Biogas/Bio-CBG (strong reported yield ranges; consistent industrial supply) World Biogas Association (WBA)
- Segregated food waste → Biogas/Bio-CBG (high methane yield when clean) ScienceDirect+1
- Rice straw → 2G ethanol (proven India reference benchmark) Press Information Bureau+1
Why this is useful for BioTradX buyers
These benchmarks help buyers:
- Shortlist feedstocks with better conversion ROI
- Set QC requirements that actually impact yield (moisture, purity, water content, plastics mix)
- Compare offers on an “energy output per ₹ landed” basis (not just ₹/ton)