Chemical preconversion: application of low-severity pretreatment chemistries for commoditization of lignocellulosic feedstock

• DOI: 10.4155/bfs.13.15
• Publication Date: 2013-05-07T15:04:12Z
• Authors: David N Thompson; Timothy Campbell; Bryan Bals; Troy Runge; Farzaneh Teymouri; Leslie Park Ovard
• Keywords: Commoditization; Lignocellulosic Biomass

Securing biofuels project financing is challenging, in part because of risks feedstock supply. Commoditization the and decoupling its supply from biorefinery will promote greater economies scale, reduce risk need for overdesign pretreatment technologies. We present benefits detractions applying low-severity chemical treatments or 'chemical preconversion treatments' to enable this approach through modification densification early chain. General structural modifications biomass that support cost-effective transportation are presented, followed by available chemistries achieve these with minimal yield loss potential harvesting value local economies. A brief review existing technologies cellulolytic hydrolysis at biorefineries a discussion toward economically underlying reduced severity light capital operational limitations small-scale depots.