Biofuels from lignocellulosic biomass

Abstract

Biomass feedstock, which is mainly lignocellulose, has considerable potential to contribute to the future production of biofuels and to the mitigation of carbon dioxide emissions. Several challenges exist in the production, harvesting, and conversion aspects of lignocellulose, and these must be resolved in order to reach economic viability. A broad array of research projects are underway to address the technical hurdles, however, additional research may be required to reach commercial sustainability. Gasification and enzymatic hydrolysis are the main technologies being investigated for the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into material for the production of biofuels. While each approach has pros and cons, both are being explored to determine the optimum potential commercial method for particular feedstock situations, and to better understand the requirements for the massive scale required to contribute to biofuel volume. © 2010 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.