ABSTRACT
Biomass is available in almost all parts of the world with variations in quality and quantity throughout the year. It consists of any organic matter produced by the process of photosynthesis. Biofuels can be classied into rst-generation, secondgeneration, third-generation, or fourth-generation biofuels based on the source and kind of feedstock used. A rst-generation biofuel is made from edible portions of a plant, for example, sugar or starch, vegetable oil, and also animal fats. First-generation
biofuels have limitations in terms of food vs. fuel issue, which has led to the search for alternative feedstocks for biofuel production. e second-generation biofuels are made from lignocellulosic biomass, which are not edible for humans and therefore do not compete directly with food production. Some of the sources of lignocellulosic biomass are agricultural and forest residues. In addition, energy crops can be bred specically for the purpose of biofuel production and some of the examples are miscanthus and switchgrass, which enables higher production per unit land area.
