The emerging role of nanotechnology in ethanol production

Worldwide, fossil fuel burning is responsible for enhancing climate change, air pollution, and many other environmental issues. Biomass resources are abundantly available on the planet Earth, which offers sustainable promises to produce ethanol and sustainably meet the world’s energy demands. However, ethanol production from lignocellulosic biomass still represents many technological challenges due to pretreatment, enzymes, and other input costs. In this context, nanotechnology, especially nanoparticles (NPs), can play a significant role in managing these obstacles. Nanomaterials directly or indirectly be used as a biocatalyst in biomass pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis and ethanol fermentation. Enzymes immobilized on NPs allow them to reuse many times, eliminating the additional enzyme cost in every hydrolysis cycle and making the whole process commercially viable. However, more efforts need to be made for its practical application with a highly efficient ethanol production process. The use of nanotechnology in ethanol production can significantly improve energy supply, decrease greenhouse gas emissions, and strengthen energy security and social and economic development.