Biomass: energy production, materials recovery, or both?

Materials , Chemicals and Energy from Forest Biomass

This book will explore our forests as the most readily available and renewable source of carbon as well as the building block of chemicals, plastics, and pharmaceuticals as the next 100 years gradually push consumers toward alternate sources of chemicals. Meeting these needs from trees requires that new chemistry be developed so that plant material is converted to commodity chemicals. This focu...

Energy production from biomass (Part 1): Overview of biomass.

The use of renewable energy sources is becoming increasingly necessary, if we are to achieve the changes required to address the impacts of global warming. Biomass is the most common form of renewable energy, widely used in the third world but until recently, less so in the Western world. Latterly much attention has been focused on identifying suitable biomass species, which can provide high-en...

Sustainable Production of Woody Biomass for Energy

Biotechnology for Production of Fuels, Chemicals, and Materials from Biomass

Biological systems can convert renewable resources, including lignocellulosic biomass, starch crops, and carbon dioxide, into fuels, chemicals, and materials. Ethanol and other products are now derived from starch crops, such as corn. Enzyme-based technology is under development for conversion of lignocellulosic biomass (e.g., wood, grasses, and agricultural and municipal wastes) into fuel etha...

Energy Production with Biomass: What Are the Prospects?

The advantages and limitations of the U.S. ethanol industry have both become apparent during the current period of high petroleum prices. One advantage is that ethanol is cost-reducing as a gasoline additive and as a gasoline replacement using E85 (motor fuel blends of 85 percent ethanol and just 15 percent gasoline). However, corn supply limits ethanol’s role in energy markets; ethanolbased co...