Open AccessBiochemical Conversion Processes of Lignocellulosic Biomass to Fuels and Chemicals – A Review
Author(s) -
Simone Brethauer,
Michael Hans-Peter Studer
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
chimia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.387
H-Index - 55
eISSN - 2673-2424
pISSN - 0009-4293
DOI - 10.2533/chimia.2015.572
Subject(s) - biorefinery , bioprocess , lignocellulosic biomass , biomass (ecology) , raw material , biofuel , commodity chemicals , pulp and paper industry , biochemical engineering , ethanol fuel , enzymatic hydrolysis , microbiology and biotechnology , renewable energy , environmental science , renewable fuels , waste management , chemistry , hydrolysis , engineering , agronomy , biochemistry , biology , electrical engineering , organic chemistry , chemical engineering , catalysis
Lignocellulosic biomass – such as wood, agricultural residues or dedicated energy crops – is a promising renewable feedstock for production of fuels and chemicals that is available at large scale at low cost without direct competition for food usage. Its biochemical conversion in a sugar platform biorefinery includes three main unit operations that are illustrated in this review: the physico-chemical pretreatment of the biomass, the enzymatic hydrolysis of the carbohydrates to a fermentable sugar stream by cellulases and finally the fermentation of the sugars by suitable microorganisms to the target molecules. Special emphasis in this review is put on the technology, commercial status and future prospects of the production of second-generation fuel ethanol, as this process has received most research and development efforts so far. Despite significant advances, high enzyme costs are still a hurdle for large scale competitive lignocellulosic ethanol production. This could be overcome by a strategy termed 'consolidated bioprocessing' (CBP), where enzyme production, enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation is integrated in one step – either by utilizing one genetically engineered superior microorganism or by creating an artificial co-culture. Insight is provided on both CBP strategies for the production of ethanol as well as of advanced fuels and commodity chemicals.