Fungal Biotechnology for Biogas Production: Applications, Challenges, and Perspectives

Fungal biotechnology presents an efficient and green route for energy generation through the valorization of complex organic substrates. Global demand for renewable energy has increased in recent decades due to the rate of urbanization and industrialization. Agro-industrial byproducts and lignocellulosic biomass present significant challenges to preserving environmental sustainability. Innovative fungal applications and contemporary biotechnological technologies are needed to manage such material. This chapter offers several methods for improving biogas production in pretreatment, enzymatic hydrolysis, and microbial consortia design that are based on fungal techniques. It is evident that the efficiency of fungal species lies in their exceptionally developed enzymatic machinery capable of depolymerizing complex plant polymers into fermentable intermediates. The continuous discovery of new fungal strains supplemented by technological advancement increases their potential in biogas technology. Another important aspect of the integration of fungal formulation in anaerobic digestion processes is that the utilization of residues becomes more feasible and economically viable. Besides, supplementation of fungal metabolites and enzyme cocktails contributed to improved methane yield and process stability. Advanced fungal bioprocesses may help in attaining much better sustainability and productivity for the future bioenergy system.