Lignocellulosic biomass thermochemical technologies

The present chapter discusses aspects, known by the authors, of (a) biomass as feedstock, (b) the concept of bio-refinery, (c) thermochemical routes from lignocellulosic biomass to fuels, and (d) the contribution of catalytic technology. The main focus will be on the catalytic conversion of fast pyrolysis oil into fuels with regard to problems encountered currently and the challenges for future research and development. 

Industrialbiobased products have enormous potential in the chemical and material industries. The diversity of biomass feedstocks (sugars, oils, protein, lignocellulosics), combined with the numerous biochemical and thermochemical conversion technologies, can provide a wealth of products that can be used in many applications. Targeted markets include the polymer, lubricant, solvent, adhesive, herbicide, and pharmaceutical markets. Industrial bioproducts have already penetrated some of these markets, but improved technologies promise new products that can compete with fossil-based products in both cost and performance. 

When perfected, synthesis-gas-to-ethanol technology can be expected to have a large impact on fermentation ethanol markets. It is likely that thermochemical ethanol would then be manufactured at production costs in the same range as methanol from synthesis gas, which can be produced by gasification of virtually any fossil or biomass feedstock. Applying the advances that have been made for conversion of lignocellulosic feedstocks via enzymatically catalyzed options, it has been estimated that the production cost of fermentation ethanol... 

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