Biorefinery: Potential and Prospects for Utilisation of Biogenic Waste

Abstract

The biorefinery is considered as a sustainable way of converting different feedstocks into energy-rich products, chemicals and value-added products through a well-established conversion technology. The biorefinery concept emerged with the purpose of efficient utilisation of biomass, waste biovalorization and at the same time to minimise the environmental impacts of waste management. Biorefinery technology enables the production of biomass-derived bioenergy, biofuels and development of circular bioeconomy. The bio-based economy has the potential to mitigate climate change and to achieve sustainable development goals. Biorefining technology refers to the conversion of biomass through processes such as pre-treatment, conversion and processing of products. Biorefinery technology enables thermochemical or biochemical conversion of biomass into bioenergy, biofuels and value-added products. Biorefineries generate low-volume but high-value products and high-volume but low-value products. The biorefineries are classified based on the feedstocks used, conversion processes, platforms or key intermediate products and target products. The feedstocks utilised in the biorefinery are diverse and the sustainability of the biorefinery system depends on (a) availability and characteristics of feedstocks, (b) environmental impacts of feedstock production, (c) amenability and suitability of feedstock for bioconversion and (d) feedstock bioconversion and its contribution to greenhouse gases intensity and energy balance. The feedstocks include “lignocellulosic biomass”, “food wastes”, “algal biomass”, “municipal solid waste”, etc. Based on the feedstocks used, the biorefineries are called as lignocellulosic biorefinery, waste biorefinery, algal biorefinery, etc. However, lignocellulosic waste biorefineries are well studied for its potential and prospects. It gained prominence on account of (a) availability of lignocellulosic waste feedstocks; (b) sustainability of the feedstocks; and (c) diverse value-added chemicals generated from the bioconversion of lignocellulosic waste biomass. The success of biorefineries and development of bio-based industries requires positive intervention from the government in the form of proactive bioeconomy policy.