Lignocellulosic Biomass: As Future Alternative for Bioethanol Production

Abstract

Biofuels provide a potential and promising green alternative to avoid the global political instability and environmental crises that arise from dependence on petroleum. It has an important role to mitigate global warming and to conserve fossil fuels. Currently, starchy crops such as corn are utilized as a source of raw material for the production of bioethanol but it cannot meet global fuel requirements. Besides, due to their food value these conventional crops are not able to cater the demand of biofuel production. Therefore, lignocellulosic biomass seems to be an attractive alternative for inexorable supplies of biofuels, cutting down the credence on fossil fuel resources. Lignocellulosic biomass feedstock is abundant, recyclable, cheap, and is evenly distributed in nature. However, lignocellulosic bioethanol production is not commercialized at a large scale due to certain economic and technical barriers which make ethanol production exorbitant. Therefore, research should be focussed to develop commercially profitable processes (green technology) for bioethanol production. Moreover, current approach is focussed on enzyme-based conversion of lignocellulosic biomass to bioethanol. The assurance of highly dynamic conversion coupled to a “Green” technology is now universally appealing. Therefore, the main aim of this chapter is to critically analyze the current situation and future needs for technological developments in the area of producing liquid biofuels from lignocellulosic biomass. It primarily covers distinct lignocellulosic biomass conversion technologies, challenges, and future research targets.