Recent advances in consolidated bioprocessing for conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into bioethanol – A review

Abstract

As the world's population grows, it will be necessary to make long-term technical advancements to meet energy needs without jeopardizing the planet's scarce resources. There are several benefits to using renewable energy systems, such as stabilizing energy supply and demand, ensuring food security and economic stability, and protecting the environment from pollution. Bioethanol is a possible alternative for a renewable and long-term energy source. However, for long-term survival and economic viability, it is critical to focus on lower-cost ethanol production for this fuel to compete with petroleum. To make biofuel commercially viable, converting lignocellulose to bioethanol might be more cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and efficient, but it would still require substantial process research and optimization. The production cost of value-added products, i.e., bioethanol, can be reduced by using consolidated bioprocessing to combine enzyme synthesis and secretion with the hydrolysis of polysaccharides and fermentation of accessible sugars in a single operation. This review focuses on biomass pretreatments, process enhancements, recombinant microbial catalysts and enzymes, and metabolic engineering to consolidate bioprocessing. Besides, it delivers an overview to facilitate future research in lignocellulosic biomass for bioethanol production.