Recent Development, Challenges, and Breakthroughs of Thermochemical Conversion Technologies

An extensively explored biofuel alternative technology with many advantages and high conversion efficiency is thermochemical conversion through which about 30–70% of biofuels and bioenergy in the world are obtained, rendering them one of the sustainable biofuel, bioenergy, and biochemicals technologies. Nonetheless, thermodynamic analysis, technoeconomic assessment as well as environmental analyses have revealed thermochemical conversion technologies as complicated, energy-intensive, and costly. There are many challenges faced by thermochemical conversion facilities in the world though they are potentially sustainable candidates for eco-friendly fuels and chemicals in the long term. This chapter dives into the main sustainability challenges and solutions, current technological development, and prospects of thermochemical conversion technologies for biofuels, bioenergy, and biochemicals production.