Deinove

So-called "first-generation" technologies for bioethanol production mainly concern cereals (wheat and maize) and sugar crops (sugarcane and sugar beet) in which the sugar is directly accessible or is present as starch.

Second-generation technologies are even more promising in terms of their reduced greenhouse gas emissions and carbon balance. They involve the use of versatile, high-performance, biocatalysts to transform a wide range of biomass feedstocks based on whole-plant exploitation of dedicated crops, forestry products and green waste – thus decreasing the extent of competition with food crops.

One of the major technological challenges in this sector is the optimization of the lignocellulosic digestion that precedes the ethanolic fermentation. Lignocellulose represents environ 80 to 90% of plant-based biomass and is composed of complex carbohydrates that are found within chemically resistant structures (intermixed cellulose and hemicellulose enclosed in a lignin matrix) and are difficult to digest. However, it is important to note that first-generation processes can still be significantly improved and that process improvements at this level will benefit the development of second-generation biofuels.