Abstract
Although discarded fruit has proved to be an effective raw material in the production of bio-ethanol, the problem of seasonal variance in quantities of discards remains an influential factor. This study compares the economic efficiencies of two production approaches: production within facilities sufficiently equipped to produce amounts as required, and production that relies on an inventory of raw material to produce a leveled average. The two cases used in this comparison are the NaraWakayama area, where fruit is discarded throughout the year, and the Yamagata-Fukushima area, where the r etrieval of discarded fruit is periodic throughout the year. Results of the analysis of the cost factors of leveling and the initial and running costs of conversion lead to the conclusion that the former approach offers superior (i.e., lower) total production costs.
