Biochemical Processes for Generating Fuels and Commodity Chemicals from Lignocellulosic Biomass

Fuels and chemicals derived from biomass are regarded as an environmentally friendly alternative to petroleum based products. The concept of using plant material as a source for fuels and commodity chemicals has been embraced by governments to alleviate dependence on the volatile petroleum market. This trend is driven not only by economics but also by social and political factors. Global warming has been associated with CO2 emissions largely originating from the combustion of fossil fuels.[1] This, together with depleting and finite carbon fossil fuel resources, and insecurity of petroleum supplies has prompted a shift towards biofuels and biomaterials.[1] The use of biomass as an economically competitive source of transport fuel was initiated by the fuel crisis in 1970 and its commercialization was led by the USA and Brazil.[2] In 2010, the USA and Brazil processing corn and sugarcane, respectively, produced 90% of the world’s bioethanol. In 2008, the “food for fuel” debate emerged sparked by concerns that the use of arable land for bioethanol and biodiesel crops was placing pressure on food demand for a growing world population.[3] In June 2011, the World Bank and nine other international agencies produced a report advising governments to cease biofuel subsidies as the use of food stock for fuel production was linked to increasing food prices.[4] Subsidies were thus ended in the USA when their Senate voted overwhelmingly to end billions of dollars in bioethanol subsidies.[5] This reform resulted in USA bioethanol plants recording losses in the first quarter of 2012[6] and is foreseen as the end of bioethanol production from corn at least in the USA.