Lignocelluloses Feedstock Biorefinery as Petrorefinery Substitutes 349The LCF Biorefinery is a promising alternative due to the abundance and variety of available raw materials and the good position of the conversion products on the market [14]. Its profitability is also dependent on the technology employed to alter the structure of lignocellulosic biomass in order to produce high value co-products from its three main fractions i.e. cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin [15].Currently the main feedstock for biorefineries is still based on starch. The practiced technologies in fuel ethanol industry are primarily based on the fermentation of sugars derived from starch and sugar crops, which are quite mature with little possibility of process improvements. However, using starch and sugar crops to produce ethanol also has been questioned since it draws its feedstock from a food stream. Lignocellulosic biomass is a more promising renewable resource as it is available in large quantities and does not compete with food or feed. Lignocellulosic biomass is a renewable resource that stores energy from sunlight in its chemical bonds, with great potentials for the production of affordable fuel ethanol [16,17]. Its main obstacle for a major breakthrough is the high production costs for bioenergy products.On the other hand, lignocellulosic biomass-derived products can significantly reduce green house gas emissions, compared to fossil-based products. Also, many common petrochemicals could be obtained with lower green house gas emissions from bio-based feedstocks. The maturity and economics of the conversion processes and logistics is a major challenge for lignocellulosic biomass [18].
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