Biorefineries for biofuel upgrading: A critical review

This study reviews the biofuel valorization facilities as well as the future importance of biorefineries. Biomass can be converted into useful biofuels and bio-chemicals via biomass upgrading and biorefinery technologies. A biorefinery is a facility that integrates biomass conversion processes to produce fuels, power, and chemicals from biomass. Biomass upgrading processes include fractionation, liquefaction, pyrolysis, hydrolysis. fermentation, and gasification. Upgraded bio-oil from biomass pyrolysis can be used in vehicle engines as fuel. The benefits of an integrated biorefinery are numerous because of the diversification in feedstocks and products. There are currently several different levels of integration in biorefineries which adds to their sustainability, both economically and environmentally. Economic and production advantages increase with the level of integration in the biorefinery. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.