Lignocellulosic Biofuel Production Technologies and Their Applications for Bioenergy Systems

Abstract

The use of energy by humans is increasing day by day and there is a need for an infinite energy source. The increasing use of fossil fuels along with limitations on these resources such as their finite nature, geopolitical instability, and deleterious global effects have led scientists to seek and discover alternative renewable resources for energy. Biofuels are one of the most important renewable energy resources that lessen the dependence on fossil fuels. Energy-enriched chemicals produced chiefly by photosynthetic organisms such as photosynthetic bacteria, microalgae, macroalgae, and plants are biofuel resources. Lignocellulosic biomass refers to a plant’s dry matter and is an energy-enriched chemical that can be used as a renewable fuel resource. There are numerous groups of raw materials that contain lignocellulosic biomass the most important of which are woody feedstocks, agricultural residues, municipal solid wastes, and marine algae. Biofuel production from lignocellulosic biomass is dependent on the yield of fermentable sugars available. The various steps involved in the production of biofuels from lignocellulosic materials include pretreatment, hydrolysis, fermentation, and product separation. Lignocellulosic biomass can potentially be converted into biofuels such as bioethanol, biodiesel, and biogas. Despite the many challenges that have had to be overcome lignocellulosic biomass is likely to become the renewable resource for the economical production of biofuels in the near future because the raw materials that make up such a biomass are available, cheap, and contain high levels of carbohydrate that can be used for biofuel production.