Techno-Economic Analysis and Life Cycle Assessment of Biofuels Production in a Cellulosic Biorefinery

Climate change mitigation will depend on the adaptation of cleaner sustainable energy sources. The production of biofuels from lignocellulosic residues continues to be the focus of considerable research because of the ubiquitous availability of the renewable resource and expected benefits of lower emissions and environmental contamination. Even though bioethanol from lignocellulosic resources has been the focus of considerable research focus since the oil embargo in 1973, the commercial adaptation of the available technology has not reached desired expectations. This chapter reviews the world market for some of the biomass-based fuels along with techno-economic and life cycle assessment studies carried out in recent years. The importance of developing integrated biofuel production technologies and the support required from governments in the initial stages of commercialization is emphasized. The need for innovation for processes like pretreatment and enzyme production that are the main bottlenecks for production of some biofuels is highlighted. This study underscores the significance of a holistic approach in understanding and optimizing the entire biofuel production chain to ensure economic viability with minimal environmental impact simultaneously.