 |
A number of technologies have been identified as having significant potential for expanding use of biomass energy. Particularly important for reducing fossil fuel use and imports and for promoting new domestic industry are those for development of biomass-derived "platform chemicals." From such platforms, "biorefineries" could make a variety of fuels, chemicals, products, and power, much as is done with petroleum and petrochemicals today. The Biomass Program is currently focusing on the Sugar Platform and the Thermochemical Platform, but there are several other interesting possibilities including the following.
- "Biogas Platform" — Decomposing biomass with natural consortia of microorganisms in closed tanks known as anaerobic digesters produces methane (natural gas) and carbon dioxide. This methane-rich biogas can be used as fuel or as a base chemical for biobased products.
- "Carbon-Rich Chains Platform" — Natural plant oils such as soybean, corn, palm, and canola oils are in wide use today for food and chemical applications. Transesterification of vegetable oil or animal fat produces fatty acid methyl ester, commonly known as biodiesel. Biodiesel already provides an important commercial air-emission reducing additive or substitute for petroleum diesel, but it, its glycerin byproduct, and the fatty acids from which it is made could all be platform chemicals for biorefineries.
- "Plant Products Platform" — Selective breeding and genetic engineering can develop plant strains that produce greater amounts of desirable feedstocks or chemicals or even compounds that the plant does not naturally produce — getting the biorefining done in the biological plant rather than the industrial plant.
For Further Reading
|
){kind=small}
