Chapter 26 - Socioeconomic and Environmental Considerations for Sustainable Supply and Fractionation of Lignocellulosic Biomass in a Biorefinery Context

Abstract

The integral utilization of biomass for energy, chemicals, and materials production, within the concept of biorefineries, has been considered to have potential benefits for economy, environment, and society. However, concerns exit about their expansion and consequences for human well-being at different scales. This chapter introduces the concepts of biorefinery and sustainability and discusses their interrelation together with the role of biomass fractionation in this complex system. The chapter continues discussing the most debated environmental and socioeconomic aspects associated with biomass exploitation, building from the experiences of bioenergy toward the more diverse concept of biorefinery. The topics are discussed from two perspectives, the biomass supply side and biomass fractionation, covering aspects like greenhouse gas emissions, primary energy use, land use change, biodiversity, water use, soil quality, food security, employment, value generation, and infrastructure investments.