Recent Developments in Bioenergy Research

Vijai G. Gupta, Helen Treichel, Ramesh Chander Kuhad, Susana Rodriguez-Couto

• Publisher: Elsevier
• Year: 2020
• Print ISBN: 9780128195970
• eBook ISBN: 9780128227640
• Topic: Technology & Engineering
• Subtopic: Chemical & Biochemical Engineering
• Index: Technology & Engineering

Recent Developments in Bioenergy Research reviews all these topics, reports recent research findings, and presents potential solutions to challenging issues. The book consolidates the most recent research on the (bio)technologies, concepts and commercial developments that are currently in progress on different types of widely-used biofuels and integrated biorefineries across biochemistry, biotechnology, biochemical engineering and microbiology. Chapters include very recent/emerging topics, such as non-ionic and ionic liquids/surfactants for enhancement of lignocellulose enzymatic hydrolysis and lignocellulose biomass as a rich source of bio-ionic liquids. The book is a useful source of information for those working in the area of- industrial wastewater treatment and microbial fuel cells, but is also a great resource for senior undergraduate and graduate students, researchers, professionals, biochemical engineers and other interested individuals/groups working in the field of biofuel/bioenergy. - Provides unique information on biomass-based biofuels for fundamental and applied research - Outlines research advancements in the areas of bio-hydrogen, bioethanol, bio-methane and biorefineries - Includes emerging topics on biomass (including wastes) characterization and its uses as a resource for environmental bioremediation and bioenergy - Reviews enzyme engineering for biomass to bioproducts and biochemicals, lipids/bio-oil - Focuses on biological/ biochemical routes, as these options have the greatest potential to be the most cost-effective methods for biofuel/bioenergy production

Chapter 1

Biomass to bioenergy research: current and future trends for biofuels

Charline Bonatto^1,2, Aline Frumi Camargo¹, Thamarys Scapini¹, Fábio Spitza Stefanski¹, Sérgio L. Alves³, Caroline Müller³, Gislaine Fongaro⁴ and Helen Treichel¹, ¹Laboratory of Microbiology and Bioprocesses, Federal University of Fronteira Sul, Erechim, Brazil, ²Department of Chemical and Food Engineering, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil, ³Laboratory of Biochemistry and Genetics, Federal University of Fronteira Sul, Chapecó, Brazil, ⁴Departament of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil

Abstract

Many biomasses can be used to produce bioenergy. First-generation biomasses are also used as food sources in feedstock bioenergetics. Several residues with various origins have been suggested as being ideal for bioenergy production because they are excellent sources of energy, allowing the management of waste and recycling of nutrients, and are integral elements of the circular economy. Nevertheless, government incentives are essential to increase the production of energy from biomass alternatives and to create viable business opportunities. Given this scenario, this chapter initially offers a review of the primary biofuels produced worldwide, also addressing government incentives provided by various countries to the bioenergetic sector. We then discuss the biomasses used in biofuel production on the commercial scale and review the recent literature regarding the production of biofuels.

Keywords

Emerging fuels; feedstock; biorefinery; organic wastes

1.1 Global biofuel scenario

The past three decades have been marked by the need to rethink the relationship between humanity and the environment. This new scenario had as its main starting point the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (RIO 92/ECO 92), held in June 1992 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Despite the fact that the first major event of this proportion was held in 1972 (Stockholm, Sweden), 20 years between the two events did not produce significant environmental gains. This fact was probably responsible for the greater impact of RIO 92. That event acted as a watershed: there was no more time for delay; humanity needed to revise its way of exploring the planet and its resources.

Investigators from several disciplines began to work with the common goal of mitigating environmental impacts without hindering human development; by contrast, the focus turned out to be sustainable development. In this context it became fundamental to conduct research on alternative, renewable forms of energy. From this concept arose the study of bioenergy. According to the World Bioenergy Association, the term bioenergy refers to the use of biological commodities (or biomasses) specifically for energy purposes, that is, the use of biomass for electricity and heat generation, as well as the conversion of biomass to secondary biofuels to be used in the transportation sector (WBA, 2018). Given their diversity, versatility, and our dependence on transportation, biofuels play a prominent role in the context of bioenergy, obviously also because of the need to improve energy security and reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) (OECD/FAO, 2018a).

1.1.1 Biofuel production and demand

Only 14% of the world’s energy matrix comes from renewable sources, with biomass accounting for 70% of this amount. Africa has the highest share of their total energy supply, with 48.8% coming from renewables. America is in second place, with 12.7%, and Europe is the last continent, with only 10.5%. Africa is also the leading continent in terms biomass energy supply: 95.8% of its total primary energy supply of renewables comes from biomass-based sources. In this regard Asia appears in second place, with 21.8% of its renewables derived from bioenergy (WBA, 2018). Despite the fact that Europe is currently the continent with the lowest percentage of renewable energy supply, Nordic countries expect to achieve a ~60% share of bioenergy in their matrix (IEA, 2018).

In the bioenergy scenario most of the biomass is generated to provide heat and electricity; however, the necessity to replace oil in automobiles or other engines and transportation facilities has made biofuels experience sustained growth in recent years: from 2010 to 2017, biofuel production increased from 16 billion liters to 143 billion liters (WBA, 2018), with bioethanol being primarily responsible for this growth (RFA, 2019a), especially as a result of policies to encourage increases in the percentage of ethanol in gasoline, such as E15 in the United States (see later) (RFA, 2019b), E10 in China (Li et al., 2017) and E27 in Brazil (USDA, 2018), representing 15%, 10%, and 27%, respectively, in mixtures with the oil-derived fuel.

World production of bioethanol increased sixfold in the first 18 years of this century, reaching 122 billion liters in 2018 (OECD/FAO, 2018a). The United States and Brazil alone contributed 84% of global bioethanol production in 2018 (Fig. 1.1) (RFA, 2019a). This prominence is primarily due to the agricultural potential of both countries. Brazilian first-generation (1G) ethanol production is derived primarily from sugarcane; in the United States, it is derived from corn (Sarkar et al., 2012). Most countries should consider their own potential feedstocks to produce biofuels with the highest possible efficiency. In this regard for example, bioethanol has been produced from wheat in Canada, Spain, Sweden, and China, from sugar beet in France and from cassava and rice in Thailand (Sánchez and Cardona, 2008). It is also worth noting that residual biomass from 1G ethanol in every producer country may be effectively used in second-generation (2G) production. In the case of Brazil this means a potential increase of up to ~50% of ethanol in the process with no need for extra land to grow the crop (Stambuk et al., 2008).

Figure 1.1 The top five bioethanol, biogas, and biodiesel producers worldwide. Bioethanol (RFA, 2019a) and biodiesel (STAT, 2019) data refer to production 2018 and biogas (IRENA, 2018; REN21, 2019) from 2016.

Biodiesel is the second most produced liquid biofuel in the world. In this case although the United States and Brazil remain the countries with the highest production volume (OECD/FAO, 2018a), Europe accounts for 41% of world production, while the Americas account for 37% and Asia for 22% (Fig. 1.1) (WBA, 2018). In the western hemisphere Argentina occupies the third place of prominence, after Brazil and the United States. In these three countries production is derived primarily soybean oil, given the immense area of these countries destined to soy cultivation (Manduca and Berni, 2018; OECD/FAO, 2018b). Biodiesel is the most important biofuel in Europe, with Germany, France, and the Benelux countries being the major producers. In the EU biodiesel is produced primarily from rapeseed oil, and this comprises nearly 80% of the market for transport biofuels (Bušić et al., 2018). In Asia Indonesia is the largest producer, and its main raw material is palm oil (OECD/FAO, 2018b).

Together with bioethanol and biodiesel, biogas appears as one of the most important biofuels. More than 60 billion m³ of biogas are produced annually worldwide. Europe produces more than half (>60%) of this amount, whereas Asian share is less than 25% and United States is >15% (Fig. 1.1) (IRENA, 2018; REN21, 2019; WBA, 2018). Among the main biogas producer countries are Germany, as the world leader (33,803 GWh), followed by the United States (13,466 GWh), Italy (8259 GWh), the United Kingdom (7706 GWh), and the Czech Republic (2590 GWh) (Treichel et al., 2019). Feedstocks are quite variable, and, in the EU, use of local raw materials is encouraged, because biogas production requires selection of the most appropriate material for each circumstance. The greatest advances are obtained when the technology used is site specific (Sun et al., 2015). Indeed, in China (Asia’s largest biogas producer), biogas has been produced on a small scale since 1920, using local feedstocks, in 42 million small (8–12 m³) household biogas digesters (Treichel et al., 2019). However, the United States (the world’s second largest producer of biogas) has an anaerobic digestion industry well established in terms of utilizing sewage sludge as a substrate, most of which supplies combined heat and power units (Edwards et al., 2015).

1.1.2 Government incentives

Government policies have played an essential role in the production and consumption of renewable energy in terms of encouraging sustainable approaches, reducing barriers, and providing subsidies (Araújo et al., 2017). Nevertheless, because of continuing environmental concerns and population growth, national policies must be continuously revised to ensure adequate biofuel expansion, allowing greater sustainability and quality of life for the population. While bioethanol and biodiesel are almost exclusively used as transportation fuels, biogas is primarily used to produce electricity and heat. Nevertheless, advanced purification techniques have allowed expanded production of pure biomethane from biogas for subsequent use as transport fuels (Bušić et al., 2018). Furthermore biogas is produced mostly from waste materials (landfills, manure, sludge from wastewater treatment, and agricultural waste). Biodiesel and 1G bioethanol are primarily produced from oils crops and food crops, g...

Table of contents

• Cover image
• Title page
• Table of Contents
• Copyright
• List of contributors
• About the authors
• Chapter 1. Biomass to bioenergy research: current and future trends for biofuels
• Chapter 2. Biomass—a resource for environmental bioremediation and bioenergy
• Chapter 3. Renewable energy and the role of biofuels in the current world
• Chapter 4. Power the future with bioenergy from organic wastes
• Chapter 5. Reaction kinetics of enzymatic hydrolysis of wheat straw a its utilization as a potential substrate for the cellulolytic enzyme and biofuel and production
• Chapter 6. Use of volatile solids from biomass for energy production
• Chapter 7. Biovolarization: a microbial miracle
• Chapter 8. Fungal lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases in biofuel production from agricultural waste
• Chapter 9. Clean energy production from lignocellulose-based agricultural crops: importance and necessity from environmental prospects
• Chapter 10. The refinery concept: addressing the challenges of microalgal biodiesel production
• Chapter 11. Nonionic surfactants for enhancement of lignocellulose enzymatic hydrolysis
• Chapter 12. Volatile fatty acids production during anaerobic digestion of lignocellulosic biomass
• Chapter 13. Microalgae as a source of sustainable biofuels
• Chapter 14. Biobased fats and oils from microalgae
• Chapter 15. Strategies for optimization of microbial community structure in microbial fuel cell for advanced industrial wastewater treatment
• Chapter 16. Recent advancements in pretreatment technologies of biomass to produce bioenergy
• Chapter 17. Bioenergy technology for integrated production of polyhydroxybutyrate/bioplastic
• Chapter 18. Microbial synthesis of nickel–cobaltite nanoparticle for biofuel applications
• Chapter 19. Sustainable bioenergy production
• Chapter 20. Pretreatment of plant feedstocks and agrofood waste using ionic liquids
• Chapter 21. Plant cell wall degrading enzymes in biomass bioprocessing to biorefineries: a review
• Chapter 22. Biofuels production using wheat straw
• Index