Chapter 3 - Potential of Hydrogen Production From Biomass

Abstract

Hydrogen is considered as a pollution-free fuel of the future because of several reasons: It does not contain carbon, having maximum energy content per unit mass among all the known fuels, and water is the only by-product produced on its combustion. This chapter reviews hydrogen production using biomass with special consideration to dark fermentation process. Suitability of different types of organic wastes as substrate for hydrogen production is considered. The major factors for improvement of hydrogen production are addressed such as metabolic engineering of microorganisms and impacts of various process parameters such as temperature, pH, culture medium composition, hydrogen partial pressure, and hydraulic retention time. Scaling up of hydrogen production via dark fermentation is the need of the hour for its sustainable production. For the implementation of any technology, a proper technoeconomic evaluation is required that can be performed by material and energy analysis of process. Furthermore, the major limitation of dark fermentation of less energy recovery can be overcome by two-stage integration of various processes such as biomethanation, photofermentation, and bioelectrochemical systems. Commercial hydrogen production through biological routes holds great promise in future for clean and sustainable fuel generation.