Bio-ethanol – the fuel of tomorrow from the residues of today

• Published in: Trends in biotechnology (Regular ed.) Vol. 24; no. 12; pp. 549 - 556
• Main Authors: Hahn-Hägerdal, B., Galbe, M., Gorwa-Grauslund, M.F., Lidén, G., Zacchi, G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01-12-2006; Elsevier Science; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Agriculture - methods; alcoholic fermentation; Biodiesel fuels; Biofuel production; Biofuels; Biological and medical sciences; Biomass; Biotechnology; Biotechnology - trends; Biotransformation; Cellulose; Cellulose - metabolism; Chemical Engineering; crop residues; Energy; Energy economics; Energy policy; Energy-Generating Resources; Engineering and Technology; Enzymes; Ethanol; Ethanol - isolation & purification; Ethanol - metabolism; ethanol production; Fermentation; Forecasting; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Glucose; Greenhouse gases; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; Industrial Biotechnology; Industrial Microbiology - trends; Industrial production; Industriell bioteknik; Kemiteknik; Lignin; Lignocellulose; lignocellulosic wastes; Liquor; literature reviews; Raw materials; Renewable fuels; sugars; Teknik; Brazil; Industrial production; Ethanol; Process improvement; Metabolic engineering; Biofuel; Lignocellulosics; Bioethanol; Review; Biomass; Fermentation
• ISSN: 0167-7799; 1879-3096
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2006.10.004

The increased concern for the security of the oil supply and the negative impact of fossil fuels on the environment, particularly greenhouse gas emissions, has put pressure on society to find renewable fuel alternatives. The most common renewable fuel today is ethanol produced from sugar or grain (starch); however, this raw material base will not be sufficient. Consequently, future large-scale use of ethanol will most certainly have to be based on production from lignocellulosic materials. This review gives an overview of the new technologies required and the advances achieved in recent years to bring lignocellulosic ethanol towards industrial production. One of the major challenges is to optimize the integration of process engineering, fermentation technology, enzyme engineering and metabolic engineering.