Editorial on Special Issue “Biorefinery: Current Status, Challenges, and New Strategies” (original) (raw)
Biorefinery: Concepts, Current Status, and Development Trends
2012
International Journal of Biore neries are expected to e ectively utilise abundant biomass resources in a sustainable manner in order to ensure energy security, mitigate climate change, and meet the endless demand for chemicals and materials. This paper reviews the current global status and developmental trends in the eld of biore nery. To date, the biore nery industry is mainly in the pilot and demonstration stages. Considerable developmental work is underway, and new biore nery concepts are expected to be commercially deployed by 2020. The deployment of biore neries, based largely on lignocellulosic feedstock, depends on the technical maturity of a range of production processes. The combination of market formation and governmental support for biomass-derived products is one of the important factors in determining the type and rate of biore nery deployment.
Opportunities, recent trends and challenges of integrated biorefinery: Part II
Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 2015
Sustainable production of energy, fuels, organic chemicals and polymers from biomass in an integrated biorefinery is extremely important to reduce enslavement on limited fossil fuels. In the present article, the biomass was classified into four general types based on their origin: energy crops, agricultural residues and waste, forestry waste and residues and industrial and municipal wastes. The article further elucidates the chemistry of various types of biomass used in the biorefinery. The biorefinery was classified into three broad categories based on the chemistry of biomass: triglyceride, sugar and starchy and lignocellulosic. The article further presents a comprehensive outlines of opportunities and recent trends of each type of biorefinery. A brief overview of original and revised list of platform chemicals, their sources from biomass and derivative potentials were also articulated. The article also provides comparisons of different types of biorefinery, broad challenges and availability of biomass. Furthermore, the article provides an overview of hydrocarbon biorefinery for production of hydrocarbon fuels and building block chemicals from biomass.
Biorefineries – their scenarios and challenges
Pure and Applied Chemistry, 2014
Since crude oil and biomass differ in various properties, new primary fractionation methods of biomass, secondary conversion pathways and processes have to be developed. Biorefineries combine the necessary technologies of the biogenic raw materials with those of intermediates and final products. The chemical industry is experiencing a fundamental shift as cost competitive biobased platform chemicals become a commercial reality. The paper is focused on lignocellulosic feedstock and green biomass biorefinery concepts, which are favored in research, development and industrial implementation. The production of aromatic platform chemicals, such as furfural, hydroxymethylfurfural and derivatives as well as aliphatic platform chemicals, such as levulinic acid and formic acid is described. Futhermore, functional products, such as proteins and biotechnological produced platform chemicals are considered.
Biorefinery systems – potential contributors to sustainable innovation
Biofuels Bioproducts & Biorefining-biofpr, 2010
Sustainable biorefineries have a critical role to play in our common future. The need to provide more goods using renewable resources, combined with advances in science and technology, has provided a receptive environment for biorefinery systems development. Biorefineries offer the promise of using fewer non-renewable resources, reducing CO2 emissions, creating new employment, and spurring innovation using clean and efficient technologies. Lessons are being learned from the establishment of first-generation biofuel operations. The factors that are key to answering the question of biorefinery sustainability include: the type of feedstock, the conversion technologies and their respective conversion and energy efficiencies, the types of products (including coproducts) that are manufactured, and what products are substituted by the bioproducts. The BIOPOL review of eight existing biorefineries indicates that new efficient biorefineries can revitalize existing industries and promote regional development, especially in the R&D area. Establishment can be facilitated if existing facilities are used, if there is at least one product which is immediately marketable, and if supportive policies are in place. Economic, environmental, and social dimensions need to be evaluated in an integrated sustainability assessment. Sustainability principles, criteria, and indicators are emerging for bioenergy, biofuels, and bioproducts. Practical assessment methodologies, including data systems, are critical for both sustainable design and to assure consumers, investors, and governments that they are doing the ‘right thing’ by purchasing a certain bioproduct. If designed using lifecycle thinking, biorefineries can be profitable, socially responsible, and produce goods with less environmental impact than conventional products … and potentially even be restorative!. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Biorefineries: Achievements and challenges for a bio-based economy
Frontiers in Chemistry
Climate change, socioeconomical pressures, and new policy and legislation are driving a decarbonization process across industries, with a critical shift from a fossil-based economy toward a biomass-based one. This new paradigm implies not only a gradual phasing out of fossil fuels as a source of energy but also a move away from crude oil as a source of platform chemicals, polymers, drugs, solvents and many other critical materials, and consumer goods that are ubiquitous in our everyday life. If we are to achieve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, crude oil must be substituted by renewable sources, and in this evolution, biorefineries arise as the critical alternative to traditional refineries for producing fuels, chemical building blocks, and materials out of non-edible biomass and biomass waste. State-of-the-art biorefineries already produce cost-competitive chemicals and materials, but other products remain challenging from the economic point of view, or their scal...
Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 2004
Sustainable economic growth requires safe, sustainable resources for industrial production. For the future rearrangement of a substantial economy to biological raw materials, completely new approaches in research and development, production and economy are necessary. Biorefineries combine the necessary technologies between biological raw materials and industrial intermediates and final products. The principal goal in the development of biorefineries is defined by the following: (biomass) feedstock-mix + process-mix → product-mix. Here, particularly the combination between biotechnological and chemical conversion of substances will play an important role. Currently the "whole-crop biorefinery", "green biorefinery" and "lignocellulose-feedstock biorefinery" systems are favored in research and development.
Biorefineries from the perspective of sustainability: Feedstocks, products, and processes
Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 2011
Today, sustainability is the buzzword in the developmental parlance. This has brought the issue of availability and utilization of energy into sharp focus. There is an urgent need to find viable alternative to fossils, mainly petroleum. It not only provides the major share of our present energy needs but also feeds the organic chemicals industry with vital raw materials. Among many alternative energy sources being explored biomass is the only one that has the potential for such dual application. Comprehensive yet judicious exploitation of biomass is, therefore crucial. The emerging concept of biorefineries is important in this context which advocates multiprocess and multiproduct biomass based industries. But everything green need not always be clean and sustainable as populism often makes it to be. Needless to say, the choices of feedstocks, processes as well as product mix are many. There is a need to critically examine them. This paper presents a status review of biorefineries from the stand point of feedstocks, products and processes.