A review of Canadian wood conversion technologies for the production of fuels and chemicals

Abstract

Canada has 347 million ha of forest cover, contributing to the potential large availability of wood-based resources. Although Canada's forest sector contributed $23.7 billion to the national nominal gross domestic product (GDP) in 2019, the GDP contribution of the wood product manufacturing subsector shrank by 6%. To reposition the Canadian forest industry, new forest management practices and wood-based conversion technologies should be applied. In this context, the use of woody biomass in biorefineries to produce clean energy, fuels, and chemicals is becoming increasingly significant. There is a need to understand the current status and challenges of the wood-based biomass conversion technologies that have been and are being developed in Canada. This information will help decision-makers in formulating and implementing forest sector-related policies for a sustainable bioeconomy in Canada. This study is focused on a review of Canadian woody biomass conversion technologies. Our critical review identified considerable potential biomass conversion technologies specialized for woody feedstock, all in the Canadian setting. We focused on the prospects of revitalizing Canada's pulp and paper industry through the integration of pre-treatment processes and biochemical technologies. The thermochemical conversion pathway was identified as the dominant route for woody feedstock valorization. The review also identified pathways with the potential to diversify the existing product mix that generate products from wood streams, such as chemicals and biomaterials. Most of the biochemical and thermochemical research done in institutional and multi-institutional research collaborations from laboratory scale to industrial scale will boost the chances of the commercialization of a wood-based biorefinery in Canada.