Current State of the Art of Lignocellulosic Biomass: Future Biofuels

Abundance and renewable nature of lignocellulosic biomass (LCB) make it a viable candidate for future biofuel production. However, LCB cannot be directly converted to biofuel due to its complex lignin structure leading to sustainable biomass process and value addition is a global challenge and requires pretreatment. Recent economic and social-political factors have stimulated the development of biofuels and bioenergy. Not only this but also the vital need of energy security as well as growing environmental concerns are the main drivers behind the growth in this sector. EU directive issued in 2009 specified that 20% of all energy in the EU-27 should come from renewable energy resources of which particular emphasis is on replacing 10% energy used in the transportation sector through the use of biofuels. However, this would not be possible if we are not able to use diverse range of available biomass for future biofuel production. This includes lignocellulosic biomass and this has further challenges before it can be transformed into the value product. This book chapter focuses on the current state of the art of lignocellulosic biomass (LCB) and its role in shaping future biofuels.