This study aims to evaluate the Brazilian production of açaí, focusing on its waste generation and addressing mass and energy balances arising from its cultivation, extraction, processing, and waste disposal. A new technological route for açaíʼs waste management was introduced for bioenergy recovery based on the circular economy concept. In 2018, Brazil produced 1.7 million tons of açaí fruit for an

The selection of locations and practices for energy crops requires the economics to be planned and the carbon intensity of the fuel to be assessed. This study develops a framework for selecting near‐optimal cropland sites to minimize the cost to produce a targeted quantity of an energy crop, considering soil properties, fertilizer management, and spatio‐temporal trends in crop yield and soil emissions

We analyze water‐energy tradeoffs for hypothetical algae production for biofuel feedstock in the US‐Mexico middle Rio Grande watershed with a coupled water, salinity, and algae biomass balance model. Suitable areas for algae cultivation in the region are selected and associated with fresh or brackish groundwater sources. We examine the potential of using two algae species with markedly different energy

The application of (bio)wastes as alternatives to expensive existing catalysts is an approach that can be used to reduce environmental pollution problems. Animal bone wastes have attracted much attention as environmentally friendly heterogeneous catalysts for chemical transformations such as transesterification, oxidation, and biofuel production, owing to the substantial availability of valuable hydroxyapatite

It will be necessary to make efficient use of our resources if our society is to be converted into a bio‐based economy. Every year large side streams of bark are produced in sawmills and pulp mills. In addition to utilizing the bark for heat and electricity production, as happens today, high‐value chemical components could be extracted prior to energy conversion. These components include tannins. Cationized

Lignocellulose is the most abundant renewable material on Earth and the primary component of agricultural wastes such as sugarcane bagasse and wheat straw. It consists of a composite material made of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. Cellulose and hemicellulose can be broken down into monomers by a set of appropriate enzymes, and the resulting monomers may be used to produce a variety of fuels

This paper presents the ‘process blocks build‐up estimating’ method for the capital cost estimation of biorefineries at Technology Readiness Levels 2 to 3 with a −50% to +100% accuracy, corresponding to a Class 5 estimate. Through systematic cost modeling, the method introduces a modular approach to cost estimation by breaking down a biorefinery into its major process blocks and using separate cost

Intercropping (or polyculture) is gaining a lot of interest as it increases yields, allows better utilization of resources (water and nutrients), and provides better land management. The objective of this study is to understand the briquetting characteristics of woody and herbaceous biomass blends, which might result from intercropping. Tests were conducted on blends of lodgepole pine, switchgrass

Bio‐based 1,3‐propanediol demand has increased in recent years; however, its production costs are still not competitive in some markets. In this study, Plackett–Burman designs were used to cost medium reduction and 1,3‐propanediol production improvement with Clostridium butyricum. A simple culture medium for 1,3‐propanediol production from crude glycerol using the strain C. butyricum NCIMB 8082 was

The higher heating value (HHV) provides information about the quantity of energy contained in a fuel such as biomass. Correlations and models can be developed to predict biomass HHV quickly from other analysis data. In this study, a linear regression algorithm (LRA) and stochastic gradient descent (SGD) in a machine‐learning environment were used as novel methods to predict the HHV of biomass. The

Conventional pulping processes, such as soda, soda‐Antraquinone (AQ), and kraft, are currently used for non‐wood pulping. The main challenges of non‐wood pulping in conventional pulping processes are (1) large amounts of silica cause silica‐related operational difficulties in the process; (2) large amounts of fines/parenchyma cells decrease the drainage; and (3) the bulky nature of raw materials increases

Sustainable sources of energy are sought because of the finite nature of nonrenewable resources. Renewable energy from the lignocellulosic biomass of the forest ecosystem reduces dependency on nonrenewable resources to overcome the global energy crisis. In this study, we evaluated the physicochemical parameters of, and enzymatic activity in, 25 forest soil samples collected from Thandikudi (Western

Biomass wastes of corn, sugarcane, and eggshells were used as resources to synthesize calcium silicate glass by applying the melt quench technique. The glasses were characterized by different experimental techniques to check their suitability as bioproducts. The in vitro bioactive properties of the glasses were evaluated in simulated body fluid (SBF). As confirmed by X‐ray diffraction, Fourier transform

The classical route for second‐generation ethanol from lignocellulosic biomass is hampered by high process costs, fostering the development of alternative strategies such as simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF). However, the lack of compatible enzyme cocktails poses a challenge. In this study, the enzyme EmBgl from the marine bacterium Exiguobacterium marinum was rationally identified

This work aimed to apply ultraviolet radiation as an alternative treatment to inhibit microbial growth in diesel fuel. Samples of fuel were placed in a reactor equipped with ultraviolet C (UV‐C) radiation lamps (40 W, 253 nm) and a fuel recirculation system. Assays were performed using different UV‐C exposure times (0–360 min), volume (40 and 60 L), and with / without a circulation system. The microorganisms

Algal biofuel production requires CO2, electricity, and process heat. Previous studies assumed CO2 sourcing from nearby coal or natural gas power plants. This may not be viable at a large scale or for the long term. The diurnal algal growth cycle imposes additional system design challenges for CO2 delivery. For ethanol produced by cyanobacteria in photobioreactors, we design onsite systems that provide

Typical municipal solid waste (MSW) is composed mainly of biomass and polymers. In this study, the co‐conversion of a feedstock obtained from a mixture of both constituent materials is investigated. The goal of this study was to determine the suitability of a low‐temperature process for achieving biochar with properties that can make it amenable to multiple energy and environmental applications. Co‐carbonization

The present study focuses on a bibliometric analysis of the global production of scientific papers related to the recovery of bioenergy from orange industrial waste or by‐products. The study also observed the top‐cited papers, international collaborative networks, top countries, and journals. The timespan was from 1900 to 2019, and the Web of Science© database was used. A total of 161 documents (research

As dairy industries increase across Australia, the amount of dairy waste is also on the rise. Australia annually production stands at around 377 727 t of cheese, 273 425 t of milk powder and 92 698 t of butter, and it is the third largest exporter of milk. The waste produced by these industries is considered a potentially valuable resource, and an environmental pollutant if not appropriately managed

Nitrogen is the most limiting plant nutrient. Inexpensive natural gas has substantially reduced costs of ammonia fertilizer for intensive agriculture in the developed world, but its excessive use negatively impacts downstream ecosystems. By contrast, the availability of ammonia fertilizer is a major economic bottleneck for agriculture in developing countries. A dedicated lignocellulosic biomass crop

This paper presents a comprehensive techno‐economic evaluation of an integrated natural deep eutectic solvent (NADES)‐based biorefinery – a 1 ton day−1 capacity design plant. The key parameters include payback period, net present value (NPV), and internal rate of return (IRR). These were compared with the parameters of conventional biorefineries. The ‘n th plant’ results clearly revealed that the single

Jerusalem artichoke (JA) is a crop with excellent potential for application in biorefineries. It can resist drought, pests, and diseases and can thrive well in marginal lands with little fertilizer application. The JA tubers contain considerable quantities of inulin, which is suitable for the production of inulooligosaccharides (IOS), as a high‐value prebiotic, dietary fiber. In this study, five JA

The objective of this study was to perform a feasibility analysis to make an informed decision about whether two bio‐based processes can replace the current petroleum‐based adipic acid production process. The first of these processes, which is considered in Case 1, is the conversion of biorefinery lignin residue (BLR) to adipic acid. The process involves the base‐catalyzed depolymerization of lignin

Lignocellulosic biomass is the most abundant renewable source of bioenergy. However, its intertwined structures prevent the embedded cellulose and hemicellulose from undergoing further chemical transformations. Organosolv pretreatment has been known to be effective in reducing the recalcitrance of lignocellulosic biomass. It possesses advantages in the recovery of components and the recovered components

The emergence of lignocellulosic biorefineries (LBRs) over the past few decades has shown tremendous potential for the development of sustainable renewable resources. Lignocellulosic biorefineries not only meet energy needs but also mitigate environmental problems by replacing conventional petroleum sources. Round the year availability of lignocellulosic biomass (LCB) with affordable price is a major

In 2018, the EU's revised Renewable Energy Directive came into force, increasing renewable energy targets for all energy sectors while limiting the use of first‐generation biomass as feedstock. Fuel components like methanol, ethanol, propanols, and butanols represent promising candidates to enable the targets for transportation to be achieved because they can be used with existing infrastructure and

Process biotechnology can play a very important role in addressing contemporary global challenges in the areas of energy, the environment, and healthcare. This review discusses the development of a biorefinery model using sustainable feedstocks such as microalgal biomass, with multiple benefits. As a case study, it demonstrates the development of a microalgal biorefinery to produce lipid for biofuel

Climate change mitigation pathways have highlighted both the critical role of land‐use emissions, and the potential use of biofuels as a low‐emission energy carrier. This has led to concerns about the emission mitigation potential of biofuels, particularly related to indirect land‐use change (ILUC). This arises when the production of biofuels displaces the production of land‐based products elsewhere

Fatty alcohols are widely used for various applications and are found in products ranging from detergents to cosmetics and cleaning agents. Currently, over 3 million tonnes of fatty alcohols are produced per year from bio‐based and petroleum‐based feedstocks through chemical conversion and synthetic processes. However, the environmental impact of current fatty alcohol production processes has become

Microbial cell factories have been used for the production of valuable chemical compounds using a classical metabolic engineering approach, but this requires much time and cost, and labor‐intensive processes to make cell factories industrially competitive. Systems metabolic engineering is an upgraded version, which understands the cell as a complex system in which networks of genes, transcripts, proteins

Renewable fuel from the hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids (HEFA) pathway represents a promising short‐term option for reducing fossil fuel use in transportation. However, some life‐cycle assessments (LCAs) have shown that HEFA diesel and jet fuel may have higher life‐cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions than the fossil fuels they replace. Many of these studies examined HEFA fuel derived from oilseed

The transition towards a biobased economy requires innovations. In addition to the usual challenges of innovation trajectories, the characteristics of biobased innovations cause extra difficulties. To lower the failure rate of innovation trajectories in general, companies tend to form R&D collaborations. Choices made during the formation of such R&D collaborations play a key role in the project's success

The downward trend of global sugar market prices, as well as rising energy prices, threaten the survival of the South African sugar industry. Operating a single‐stage sugar crystallization process, which produces less crystalline sugar along with sucrose‐rich A‐molasses as a by‐product, to which value can be added in an integrated biorefinery, could be a viable solution for the industry. It would offer

The high substrate variability and complexity of fermentation media derived from lignocellulosic feedstock affects the concentration profiles and the length of the fermentation. Failing to account for such variability raises operational and scheduling issues and affects the overall performance of these processes. In this work, a hybrid soft sensor was developed to monitor and forecast the evolution

The objective of this review is a global assessment of the economics of second‐generation biorefineries, with a focus on the use of food waste and agricultural residues for chemical production by applying biotechnological processes. Analyses are conducted on feedstock and product distribution, applied economic models, and profitability figures for the period 2013–2018. In a study of 163 articles on

The saccharification of lignocellulosic materials like Norway spruce is challenging due to the recalcitrant nature of the biomass, and it requires optimized and efficient pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis processes to make it industrially feasible. In this study, we report successful enzymatic saccharification of sulfite‐pulped spruce (Borregaard's BALI™ process) at demonstration scale, achieved

In Mexico, whey is discarded into drains without treatment, which represents an environmental problem. It is known that whey is a mixture of nutrients that increase biochemical demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD), exceeding the limits established by national and international standards. Some uses of whey have been proposed to reduce the negative impact it produces on the environment. Some

Biodiesel has the potential to contribute significantly to the elimination of the present global energy and climate change logjam, but its production and commercialization have been hindered by the diverse nature of the feedstocks used for production. This paper reviews the effectiveness of applying various types of crop and animal waste‐derived catalysts together with innovative feedstock hybridization

To achieve sustainable energy crop production, energy crops should not compete for land against feed and food crops. One option for sustainable energy‐crop cultivation is the use of double cropping systems with minimum tillage use and digestate as natural fertilizer, where, in the same growing season, a second crop for biomethane production is planted after a first crop used for feed/food. Different

The heavy reliance of the livestock industry of the European Union (EU) on feed protein imports has initiated a transition to alternative protein sources such as grass proteins. Green biorefineries (which process grass into protein and other related bio‐products) are gaining interest in the EU as the EU searches for ways to cut its import of feed proteins, to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels, and

Broccoli offers several health benefits due to its high content of bioactive compounds, especially sulforaphane – a promising anticancer compound. In Chile, the broccoli crop is expanding rapidly, creating opportunities to industrialize this vegetable and exploit its functional properties. Various processes have been studied with the aim of maximizing the sulforaphane content in processed broccoli

There is a lack of widespread interest in slow pyrolysis biochar pathways relative to other bioenergy pathways because of the perceived absence of biochar's market value when produced at a commercial scale. Thus, most refereed techno‐economic analyses focus on fast pyrolysis. This study quantifies the carbon price point at which the economic feasibility of the slow‐pyrolysis pathway for biochar production

Kraft lignin valorization is the cornerstone for the establishment of biorefineries based on residual fractions from the pulping processes. From the precipitation process to depolymerization, various strategies have emerged, all focused on obtaining high yields or higher purity monomers. The strategy used in this study was to modify the structure of the precipitated Kraft lignin with different oxidative

An integrated multi‐feedstock bioenergy (i.e., biofuel, biopower, or bioproduct) supply system has potential to reduce biomass supply system uncertainties and costs. This study identifies optimal configurations of multi‐feedstock biomass‐to‐biorefinery supply chains and pertinent feedstock combinations based on spatial distribution of feedstock and lowest delivered cost to the biorefinery. We used

The characterization of the physical–chemical properties and the thermal behavior of oilseed fruits for biofuels production has gained interest in the scientific community and society more generally, in particular with regard to their use as partial replacements for fossil fuels and for the possible reduction of air pollutants that cause problems for human health, animals, and plants. These oilseed

Orange orchards are typical Mediterranean crops and a major feature of the heritage of the Mediterranean basin, where they play an important environmental and economic role. Their high availability, low price, and potential industrial application make the development of new and valuable uses of the orange's biomass of high interest. This research was focused: (i) on recognition and mapping of orange

This paper focuses on the optimal performance of a small tri‐generation power, heat, and cooling plant, which uses corn stover as the feedstock. First, 100 kg h−1 of the corn stover is converted into syngas by the gasification process, using a downdraft fixed‐bed reactor at gasification temperatures reaching 995 °C and with an oxidant–fuel ratio of 1.65. About 243.18 kg h−1 of product gas mass flow

Catalytic gasification of a residual biomass, obtained from yellow horn (YH) (Xanthoceras sorbifolia Bunge), an energy crop, was conducted to obtain a fuel gas rich in hydrogen. Unsupported nickel‐based catalyst modified with cerium was developed, characterized, and used in the advanced catalytic gasification of this residual biomass, using H2O + CO2 as the gasifying agent. Tests were performed in

In this article we address the environmental assessment of the coprocessing of biomass‐based feedstock in crude oil refineries. In particular, we consider the coprocessing of bio‐oil (from the pyrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass) in fluid catalytic cracking and hydrocracking units, and the cogasification of pyrolysis char (coproduced with bio‐oil) with coke. In addition to a conventional fossil‐based

In this work, a solvent‐based extraction procedure and a procedure using supercritical CO2 to obtain β‐carotene from Dunaliella salina were compared from environmental and economic perspectives. Both processes were simulated using a biorefinery scheme in which β‐carotene was obtained and the waste biomass was used to produce energy. The results were used to carry out a life‐cycle assessment (LCA).

The sugar yield achieved during pretreatment of lignocelluloses has an impact on the economic outcome of biorefineries. Chemical and physiochemical pretreatment methods were evaluated and compared to determine the most favorable pretreatment method for the commercial co‐production of succinic acid and electricity in a sugarcane lignocellulosic biorefinery. Nine methods were identified and simulated

Olive pomace is characterized by its low nutritional value and high phenolic content, which hinders its direct use as animal feed, fertilizer, or as a substrate in bioprocesses such as solid‐state fermentation (SSF). A possible strategy for bioprocessing olive pomace by SSF is the mixture of olive mill wastes with other wastes produced in the same region, such as winery wastes. This may improve the

Excessive cultivation of maize (Zea mays L.) as a biogas substrate has fired debate about potential land‐use change effects of bioenergy cropping systems. Cup plant ( Silphium perfoliatum L.) is a perennial biogas crop that provides more environmental services than maize. This study investigated (i) how to replace maize with cup plant as a biogas substrate in a large‐scale biogas plant located in southwest

Agricultural straw is abundant worldwide, but efficient production of lactic acid from straw is still challenging. In this paper, Trichoderma viride R16 was cultivated using corncob as the substrate in a fed‐batch process, after which the enzymes from T. viride R16 broth were analyzed through protein mass spectrometry and used for lactic acid production. Dioxygenase activity was found in the T. viride