Methods of Commercialization and Usage of <i>Sosnovsky hogweed</i> Processing

Abstract

Sosnovsky’s hogweed is an invasive species that suppresses natural meadow biocenoses, but at the same time it can be a source of various biological substances (raw materials). Hogweed can be processed to produce cellulose. The obvious advantage of cellulose from Sosnovsky’s hogweed is the unsuitability of the raw material for other uses, i.e., while valuable resources that are now being used to produce cellulose can be saved, the stems of Sosnovsky’s hogweed are waste products obtained because of getting rid of the plant. Despite this, there is an actual problem of including hogweed in the production chain. To solve this problem, business models can be built that are aimed at using the biproducts of processing hogweed. It is important that business models not only reflect the process of producing added value but also can solve the main problem of processing weed plants: the finiteness of the specified resource. Specifically, entrepreneurs starting such a business should not get into a situation where they destroy their only resource. This article is focused on a comparison of business models according to the following criteria: feasibility, profitability, and environmental impact. Business models that involve constructing a processing plant, using mobile laboratories, and industrial symbiosis models are presented. The overall result of this work is a business model that meets the specified criteria. Similar business models can be used for other plants with the possibility of obtaining valuable raw materials. Research shows how Sosnovsky hogweed can be processed into bioethanol or cellulose.

Keywords

• bioethanol
• business model
• commercialization
• industrial symbiosis
• hogweed