ABSTRACT
Biomass is an important raw material for energy and a variety of applications. Besides utilization as material it is a popular energy carrier. However, it will be shown that the majority of biomass has a structure that has the potential for producing attractive products, provided that dedicated processes are developed. As an example it is shown that for the two main classes, namely, (i) fats/oils and (ii) lignocellulosic biomass the production of valuable products by dedicated processes is in harmony with the structure of the biomass in contrast with the more robust but not very selective thermal processes. From an evaluation of the resources it is concluded that the contribution of biomass can be significant, provided that an adequate agricultural policy is implemented. In general, from an economic point of view, for favorable biomass resources production of chemicals is preferred above energy. It should be noted that for the
widely available diluted aqueous waste systems, not the production of chemicals but the production of biogas for energy is optimal. A concrete example, the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into sugar-based platform molecules, is discussed in some detail. Biomass is the oldest source of energy for consumers and currently provides roughly 10% of total energy demand. Traditionally, biomass in the form of fuel wood, used for heating and cooking, is the main source of bioenergy, but liquid biofuel production has shown rapid growth during the last decade. Similar to crude oil, biomass can be and is processed in several ways. Figure 22.1 gives an overview showing the main approaches and processes for biomass conversion [1, 2].
