Biorefineries chain development

Successful market implementation of integrated biorefineries requires reliable processing units combined with environmentally acceptable and economically profitable production chains. Development and implementation of the biorefinery concept should include crop cultivation and the selection of crops that maximize fuU chain performance. 

Development of new and/or improved routes for chemical building blocks for polymers, lubricants and fine chemicals, including through the integration of the biorefinery concept and products into the existing chemical production chain. 

The valorization of by-products in biomass conversion is a key factor for introducing a biomass based energy and chemistry. There is the need to develop new (catalytic) solutions for the utilization of plant and biomass fractions that are residual after the production of bioethanol and other biofuels or production chains. Valorization, retreatment or disposal of co-products and wastes from a biorefinery is also an important consideration in the overall bioreftnery system, because, for example, the production of waste water will be much larger than in oil-based refineries. A typical oil-based refinery treats about 25 000 t d-1 and produces about 15 000 t d 1 of waste water. The relative amount of waste water may increase by a factor 10 or more, depending on the type of feed and production, in a biorefinery. Evidently, new solutions are needed, including improved catalytic methods to eliminate some of the toxic chemicals present in the waste water (e.g., phenols). 

A thorough analysis of value chains and the development of alternative value chains starting from biomass derived feedstocks, including assessment of the economic viability of the transformation of the chains, is required. This should be followed by the identification of easy entry points for the implementation of novel value chains. Technical key issues are generic methods to cope with the variability of raw materials derived from biomass and higher susceptibility to contamination by microorganisms and suitable catalysts for biorefineries. 

The biorefinery concept that has emerged is analogous to today s petroleum refineries. However, many current endeavors focus on single technologies and feedstock such as starch or vegetable oils that could compete with food or feed. We need to create flexible, zero-waste biorefineries that can accept a variety of low-value local feedstock. Biorefineries will then be able to compete with existing industries (Clark et al., 2012). Further down the value chain the development of green chemistry fills the gap between the sustainable resource and the product (Poliakoff and License, 2007). 

Development of a Biorefinery Fact Sheet to document and report facts and figures of biorefmeries in a common and compact format, consisting of a brief description, the classification scheme, mass and energy balance as well as a whole value chain-based sustainability assessment in comparison to conventional systems. ... 

This book covers recent developments in process engineering and resource conservation for biomass conversion systans at scales ranging from the molecular level aU the way to macrolevel supply chains. It provides an overview of process development in biomass conversion systems, with focus on biorefineries involving the production and coproduction of fuels, heating, cooling, and chemicals. Various techniques for enhancing the efficiency... 

---