Lignocellulosic biomass as an optimistic feedstock for the production of biofuels as valuable energy source: Techno-economic analysis, Environmental Impact Analysis, Breakthrough and Perspectives

Abstract

Lignocellulose biomass is considered to be the prevalent and economic substrate for biofuel generation. The presence of certain refractory components in biomass causes major obstacle in enzymatic hydrolysis and thus it has to be improved by the advancement of pretreatment technology. The pretreatment focused on the enhancement of hydrolysis by altering the polymeric substance into monomers. A suitable pretreatment converts the biomass into easily accessible components for enzymes and thus enhances fermentation during biofuel production. Notwithstanding the research and development activities focused towards the goalmouth and the integrated pretreatment for biofuel production are needed to be optimised in terms of economic and environmental way. The problems associated with the economic and environmental distress focused on enormous research for several decades in order to replace fossil fuels with the lignocellulosic feedstock. The various approaches were implemented in lignocellulose based biofuel production by concerning the net cost and the energy demand by upgrading the process design. In present review, the pretreatment technologies for biofuel production from lignocellulosic feedstock are discussed along with the inhibitory compounds generations during pretreatment. Furthermore, the energy demand on pretreatment and the techno-economic and environmental aspects were discussed. This review highlights the major aspects in biorefinery process which includes the pretreatment and saccharification of sugar and lignin into biofuels. • Lignocellulosic biomass are the potential feedstock for biofuel production. • Lignin hinders the accessibility to other components and inhibits enzyme hydrolysis. • Combined and phase-separated pretreatment enhances the conversion of sugars. • Biofuel commercialisation is efficient based on cost and environmental analysis. • Biorefinery aspects of biofuel production enhance circular economy.