Sustainable Bioenergy

Advances and Impacts

Mahendra Rai, Avinash P. Ingle

• Publisher: Elsevier
• Year: 2019
• Print ISBN: 9780128176542
• eBook ISBN: 9780128176559
• Topic: Physical Sciences
• Subtopic: Energy

Sustainable Bioenergy: Advances and Impacts presents a careful overview of advances and promising innovation in the development of various bioenergy technologies. It covers the production of bio-jet fuel, algal biofuels, recent developments in bioprocesses, nanotechnology applications for energy conversion, the role of different catalysts in the production of biofuels, and the impacts of those fuels on society. The book brings together global experts to form a big picture of cutting-edge research in sustainable bioenergy and biofuels. It is an ideal resource for researchers, students, energy analysts and policymakers who will benefit from the book's overview of impacts and innovative needs.- Explores the most recent advances in biofuels and related energy systems, including innovations in catalysts and biocatalysts- Provides an overview of the impacts of bioenergy and its sustainability aspects- Discusses real-life cases of implementation of bioenergy systems on an industrial scale

Chapter 1

Lignocellulosic feedstocks for the production of bioethanol: availability, structure, and composition

Narendra Naik Deshavath¹, Venkata Dasu Veeranki² and Vaibhav V. Goud³, ¹Centre for the Environment, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, India, ²Department of Bioscience and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, India, ³Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, India

Abstract

Greenhouse gases generated through the burning of agricultural crop residues and the utilization of petroleum products derived from fossil fuels (in the transportation sector) are predominant contributors to global warming. Moreover, it is anticipated that most fossil fuel sources will be depleted by 2040–50. In this regard, bioethanol has been found to be an alternative liquid fuel that can be used as a partial or direct substitution for petroleum products. Bioethanol is an octane enhancer and is used as an oxygenated compound for the clean combustion of gasoline. Currently, industrial processes for bioethanol production mainly use feedstocks, such as corn, wheat, cassava, sugar beet, and sugarcane, but they are in direct competition with the food sector. Therefore lignocellulosic biomass is found to be one of the most promising potential renewable resources for the production of bioethanol. Several types of lignocellulosic biomass, such as agricultural crop residues, forest residues, and grass materials, are relatively inexpensive, highly abundant in nature, and also do not compete with the food or feed industries. Therefore the utilization of lignocellulosic feedstock for the production of bioethanol has dual benefits: the world can meet the demand for transportation fuel and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the combustion of fossil fuels as well as agricultural crop residues.

Keywords

Lignocellulosic biomass; composition; chemical structures; cellulose hemicellulose; bioethanol

1.1 Introduction

Owing to fossil fuel depletion, it is necessary to explore alternative renewable resources for the production of transportation fuels.¹ In this context, the production of biofuels from lignocellulosic biomass is found to be an emerging trend that can overcome the depletion of fossil fuel resources.² Lignocellulosic materials are one of the most promising potential feedstocks for the production of biofuels, such as bioethanol, butanol, biohydrogen, biogas (biomethane), and biooils. Among these, bioethanol production from lignocellulosic biomass has gained significant momentum due to its benefits as a substitute for fossil fuels.² Bioethanol can be a partial or direct substitute for petroleum products, and thus can reduce fossil fuel dependency. Currently, the United States and Brazil are using bioethanol as a transportation fuel in the proportions: E5 (5% ethanol: 95% gasoline), E15 (15% ethanol: 85% gasoline), E85 (85% ethanol: 15% gasoline), and E100 (100% ethanol: 0% gasoline).² Generally, bioethanol acts as an octane enhancer in unleaded gasoline, which also has the capability to replace methyl-tertiary-butyl-ether.³ Due to the presence of oxygen atoms in ethanol, it is used as an oxygenated compound for the clean combustion of gasoline, thereby decreasing greenhouse gas emissions, which ultimately reduces the global warming effect. Due to these reasons, bioethanol is considered as a potential and environmentally sustainable fuel.^2,3

Several potential lignocellulosic materials are abundantly available in nature (around 1.5 billion dry tons/year),⁴ including agricultural crop residues (e.g., corn stover, sugarcane bagasse, wheat straw, rice straw, and sorghum stalks), forest residues (e.g., aspen wood, pine wood, poplar wood, and bamboo), and grass varieties (e.g., Miscanthus giganteus, switchgrass, and elephant grass).^3,5,6 Among these, a considerable amount of lignocellulosic biomass is being generated through agricultural p...

Table of contents

• Cover image
• Title page
• Table of Contents
• Copyright
• List of Contributors
• Preface
• Chapter 1. Lignocellulosic feedstocks for the production of bioethanol: availability, structure, and composition
• Chapter 2. Rural biorefinery: A viable solution for production of fuel and chemicals in rural India
• Chapter 3. Sustainable bioenergy development in Africa: issues, challenges, and the way forward
• Chapter 4. Biohydrogen production and bagasse gasification process in the sugarcane industry
• Chapter 5. Production of biojet fuels from biomass
• Chapter 6. Advances in bio-oil production and upgrading technologies
• Chapter 7. New trends in biogas production and utilization
• Chapter 8. Current challenges and advances in butanol production
• Chapter 9. Mesoporous and other types of catalysts for conversion of non-edible oil to biogasoline via deoxygenation
• Chapter 10. Third generation biofuels: an overview
• Chapter 11. Nanobiocatalytic processes for producing biodiesel from algae
• Chapter 12. Impacts of sustainable biofuels production from biomass
• Chapter 13. Socioeconomic impacts of biofuel production from lignocellulosic biomass
• Chapter 14. Regulatory challenges in nanotechnology for sustainable production of biofuel in Brazil
• Index