Biorefineries feedstock

Thorsell, S., F.M. Epplin, R.L. Huhnke and C.M. Taliaferro, Economics of a Coordinated Biorefinery Feedstock Harvest System lignocellulosic Biomass Harvest Cost, Biomass and Bioenergy, 27, 327-337 (2004). 

Currently, processing, separating, and refining of crude oil are carried out in a refinery. Refineries that process biomass, agricultural feedstock to produce commodity, and value-added products are called biorefineries. In the future, such refineries will be built. When the earth s crude oil reserves are totally exhausted, the oil refiners may have to close, but the biorefineries will be operational. In biorefineries, feedstock will be processed, fractionated into intermediate basic products, and converted into final products. Right now, it may appear very far-fetched, but already several... 

Type of biorefinery Feedstock Intermediates Platform Monomers... 

Development of fast-growing woody species that can be used year round as the biorefinery feedstock. These feedstocks should enjoy life cycle energy benefits compared to alternative biomass resources such as agricultural crops or residues. 

Proposals to implement a biorefinery approach for platform chemical production have ignited a debate on whether biorefinery feedstock production threatens food security and increases the rate of deforestation (Ravindranath et al., 2008). It s worrying because the feedstock suitable for biorefinery implementation is procured primarily from forests. Any activity such as feedstock production, which puts considerable pressure on the forest cover, endangers natural heritage and biodiversity (Achten et al., 2013). This chapter discusses various forest-based feedstocks for biorefinery. Moreover, it seeks to elaborate the industrial applications of this feedstock, their characteristics and land requirements (essentially the extent of theoretical deforestation), their production, and procurement. Clearly the influence of biorefinery on woodlands will rely on the nature of the feedstock being used. For example, Brazil utilizes deforested land for sugarcane cultivation and subsequent ethanol production. However, in the case of Indonesia, rain forests were cleared for palm oil production. All of the biorefinery processes require cellulose as the raw material, and since the major source of cellulose in nature is in the form of trees, large-scale deforestation seems to be a plausible end scenario (Gao et al., 2011). 

EXTENSIVE LAND USE FOR THE PRODUCTION OF BIOREFINERY FEEDSTOCK AND DEFORESTATION... 

Another factor to be considered is the readiness of farmers to invest in collection, storage, and segregation facilihes and to try out new modes of waste management apart from existing methods. Whether or not investors are ready to design and operate plants that use new technologies and methods will also play an important role in the future prospects of agroindustrial wastes as biorefinery feedstock. 

The biorefinery industry is marked with a feedstock related to the dispersed nature of its diet. The incoming raw material to a biorefinery is produced in a small scale (compared to an oil refinery), and in remote, distributed locations. Consequently, the biorefinery capacity is a parameter difficult to define due to the uncertainty in collection and blending of the feedstock. The next question is to what extent will the oil industry be involved in such operations and how will that affect the fossil to renewable ratio or the intake feedstock. 

The biorefinery scheme was developed initially for carbohydrate-containing feedstocks. Large biorefineries are currently operating in the USA (e.g., Cargill at Blair, Nebraska) and in Europe (e.g., Roquette Frs. at Lestrem, France). The concept can be extended to produce chemicals from other renewable feedstocks. An integrated production of oleochemicals and biofuels can be achieved in biorefineries using vegetables oils as main feedstock to produce versatile platform mole-... 

Within the biorefinery framework several process options can be chosen to produce bioproducts from renewable feedstocks. We have identified the following three main options that will be illustrated by selected examples. 

A biorefinery maximizes the value derived from the complex biomass feedstock by (a) optimal use and valorization of feedstock, (b) optimization and integration of processes for better efficiency, and (c) optimization of inputs (water, energy, etc.) and waste recycling/treatment. Integrated production of bioproducts, especially for bulk chemicals, biofuels, biolubricants and polymers, can improve their competitiveness and eco-efficiency. However, although a few examples of biorefineries already exist (Chapters 3 and 6), many improvements are still needed to enhance the process [5] ... 

To convert these feedstocks into useful chemicals, mainly fermentation, chemical modification or thermochemical methods were applied. However, these processes were later abandoned in favor of the more economic and efficient processes based on fossil resources, in particular oil. Easier transport and more stable chemical composition (biomass feedstocks are highly diverse, depending on the source) are two relevant additional factors in favor of fossil fuels. Therefore, although the concept of biorefinery is attractive, there are several barriers to economically feasible. 

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. 

Biorefineries New catalytic pretreatment of plant materials Valorization, pretreatment or disposal of co-products and wastes from biorefinery by catalytic treatments New and/or improved catalytic processes for chemicals production through the integration of the biorefinery concept and products into the existing chemical production chain New advanced catalytic solutions to reduce waste emissions (solid, air and, especially, water) New catalysts to selectively de-oxygenate products from biomass transformation Catalysts to selectively convert chemicals in complex multicomponent feedstocks New biomimetic catalysts able to operate under mild conditions Small catalytic pyrolysis process to produce stabilized oil for further processing in larger plants... 

A biorefinery is a facility that integrates biomass conversion processes and eqtrip-ment to produce fuels, power, and value-added chemicals from biomass. Biorefinery is the co-production of a spectram of bio-based products and energy from biomass. The biorefinery concept is analogous to today s crude oil refinery. Biorefinery is a relatively new term referring to the conversion of biomass feedstock into a host of valuable chemicals and energy with minimal waste and emissions. 

Approximately 89 million metric t of organic chemicals and lubricants, the majority of which are fossil based, are produced annually in the United States. The development of new industrial bioproducts, for production in standalone facilities or biorefineries, has the potential to reduce our dependence on imported oil and improve energy security. Advances in biotechnology are enabling the optimization of feedstock composition and agronomic characteristics and the development of new and improved fermentation organisms for conversion of biomass to new end products or intermediates. This article reviews recent biotechnology efforts to develop new industrial bioproducts and improve renewable feedstocks and key market opportunities. 

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