Focusing on the key challenges that still impede the realization of the billion–ton renewable fuels vision, this book integrates technological development and business development rationales to highlight the key technological.developments that are necessary to industrialize biofuels on a global scale. Technological issues addressed in this work include fermentation and downstream processing technologies, as compared to current industrial practice and process economics. Business issues that provide the lens through which the technological review is performed span the entire biofuel value chain, from financial mechanisms to fund biotechnology start–ups in the biofuel arena up to large green field manufacturing projects, to raw material farming, collection and transport to the bioconversion plant, manufacturing, product recovery, storage, and transport to the point of sale. Emphasis has been placed throughout the book on providing a global view that takes into account the intrinsic characteristics of various biofuels markets from Brazil, the EU, the US, or Japan, to emerging economies as agricultural development and biofuel development appear undissociably linked.

As the demand for renewable energy solutions becomes increasingly urgent, what are the key challenges preventing industrialisation of biofuels on a global scale? Biofuels are rapidly emerging as a popular solution to address global warming, rising energy costs and fuel supply shortages. However the environmental, economic and energetic benefits of biofuels still remain challenged. Amidst the global debate,Biomass to Biofuelsaddresses these challenges through a discussion of the latest scientific advances in biofuel manufacturing. Combining scientific and business perspectives, the book provides a comprehensive overview of biofuel production technologies, highlighting both manufacturing and financial concerns in order to define an appropriate R&D strategy.Parts:•Structure of the Bioenergy Business: Reviews the fundamental drivers of the biofuels market•Diesel from Biomass: Includes chapters on liquefaction and gasification of solid biomass, Fisher–Tropsch and biofuels from microalgae•Ethanol & Butanol: Evaluates fermentation and downstream processing technologies vs. current industrial practice•Hydrogen, Methane & Methanol: Describes generation of hydrogen by microbial cultures and industrial scale production of methane and methanol•Perspectives : Considers genetic engineering of biomass–producing crops and financing strategies for large scale biofuel production

 

Fuel ethanol production has increased steadily in the U.S. since the 1980's, when it was given impetus by the need to reduce energy dependence on foreign supplies. The momentum has continued as production costs have fallen, and as the U.S. Clean Air Act has specified a percentage of renewable fuels to be mixed with gasoline. New technologies that may further increase cost savings include co-product development, such as recovery of high-value food supplements, and cellulosic conversion. Though improvements in processing and technology are important, however, the fluctuating rise of inputs such as corn, the cost of energy alternatives, and environmental developments play larger roles in the fortunes of the industry. This book examines the use of ethanol as fuel, as well as its other applications in different parts of the world. This book also addresses a policy initiative by the Federal Administration to apply United States Department of Energy (DOE) research to broadening the country's domestic production of economic, flexible, and secure sources of energy fuels. This book consists of public documents which have been located, gathered, combined, reformatted, and enhanced with a subject index, selectively edited and bound to provide easy access.

Food versus Fuel"" presents a high-level introduction to the science and economics behind a well-worn debate, that will debunk myths and provide quality facts and figures for academics and practitioners in development studies, environment studies, and agricultural studies. Compiled by an internationally renowned scientist and authority, and to include perspectives from ""pro"" and ""anti"" biofuels experts and activists, from the North and South, the aim of this book is to bring a balanced approach to current debate on the major issues affecting the development of biofuels in a concise and clear manner so that to provide and informed, nuanced but accessible introduction, grounded in science and economics rather than conjecture and controversy.

 

 

Providing the world's growing population with its increasing demands for energy is a major challenge for science, business and society alike. Energy can be generated from many sources, but not all sources are suitable for every application. Much of today's technology has been built on solid, liquid and gaseous fuels derived from fossil sources. However, the supply of these is finite and their combustion produces carbon dioxide, one of the gases responsible for global warming. Therefore, alternative sources of energy are required which are renewable, sustainable and carbon neutral. This textbook explores the production of biofuels as alternatives to fossil fuels, focusing on the technological issues that need to be addressed for any new fuel source. Each type of biofuel currently in production is considered in detail, covering the benefits and problems with production and use and the potential for biological material to provide sufficient energy for the world's population - the principles on which future fuel development are based.

The first book to examine straw chemistry in its entirety,Cereal Strawsdescribes the recent development of techniques for fractionation of and conversion to environmental friendly materials. Balanced coverage of theory and applications includes: the analysis of straw structure and its components; extractives, from isolation to structural characterization; isolation, modification, and purification of hemicelluloses; the occurrence, structure, and chemical modification of cellulose; straw lignins, including their occurrence, structure and constitution, isolation and heterogeneity, and physico-chemical properties; and utilization of straw and straw components after chemical modification.

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   Provides the basics of straw composition and the structure of its cell walls

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  Details the procedures required to fractionate straw components to produce chemical derivatives from straw cellulose, hemicelluloses, and lignins

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  Elucidates new techniques for the production of biodegradable materials for the energy sector, chemical industry, and pulp and paper business