Agave: A promising feedstock for biofuels in the water-energy-food-environment (WEFE) nexus

Yan, Xiaoyu; Corbin, Kendall R.; Burton, Rachel A.; Tan, Daniel K. Y.

doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.121283

Cited by 29 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 26 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…The search of the literature on Agave and Opuntia species was performed in a broad and specific scope by first selecting the information related to the importance of the metabolism and growing interest in these species as bioenergy crops. Studies were also reviewed [8,11,23,30,[32][33][34][35] on its diversity, ecology, agronomy, biomass production and conversion into biofuels, productivity and the feasibility of growing these species in arid, semi-arid and marginal lands of southwestern USA, Mexico, Africa, Australia and other regions where experimental field trials of candidate species for energy crops or commercial crop production have been established. Information on these studies is given and analyzed throughout the sections of this paper.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although bioenergy is the main interest for Agave and Opuntia species as a feedstock, attention has been recently focused on the production of bioethanol, an emerging application is increasing through anaerobic digestion (AD) to produce biogas for electricity generation [11,23,83]. Nevertheless, the thermochemical processing of Agave and Opuntia for thermal and electricity power is still a scarcely studied area [84,85].…”

Section: Potential Agave and Opuntia Species For Fuels Production And Energymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…has historically been far more limited than from Agave, few attempts to convert Opuntia cladodes or fruit to ethanol have been reported (e.g., Sánchez et al [88]). Third, environmental impacts, addressed through life cycle assessment, concluded that both energy outputs and greenhouse emissions are greater in an Agave bioenergy production system than in corn or switchgrass bioenergy production systems [23]. Further quantitative studies are needed to revised inventory and inferences to be made in addition to allocation issues.…”

Section: Challenges and Perspectivesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Diverse plant species within dry regions have been identified with high water-use efficiency and water shortage resistance since they exhibit a crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) photosynthesis, such as Agave and Opuntia species, which have been recognized as sustainable bioenergy feedstocks [11,14,[18][19][20][21][22][23]. One of the most remarkable traits of CAM plants is that they have their stomata open at night, thus allowing the initial fixation of CO 2 during periods when conditions leading to evaporative water loss are at a minimum.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Agave and Opuntia Species as Sustainable Feedstocks for Bioenergy and Byproducts

2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Currently, Mexico is facing an energy transition, therefore updated policy regulations pertaining to the sustainable use of biomass are needed. In particular, policy that favors the sustainable use of biomass to produce energy and bioproducts to privilege climate change mitigation is needed. This review describes the use of maguey (Agave spp.) and nopal (Opuntia spp.; also known as “cactus”) for biofuel production, especially in marginal areas. Emphasis is given on documented case studies discussing features of production and cultivation for both maguey and nopal, in addition to their potential for fuel production. Environmental and social sustainability issues in terms of waste value and new opportunities as bioenergy feedstocks and byproducts are also discussed. Although the paper does not deeply describe aspects of biomass transformation, such as bioprocess configurations, it gives characteristics of production in addition to cultivation. Agave and Opuntia species may represent a suitable feedstock for biofuels, bioproducts, bioenergy and biorefineries, especially in dry lands (semi-arid and dry sub-humid), deforested areas, agroforestry systems and agricultural semi-terraces known as metepantle in Mexico.

show abstract

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Potential Agave and Opuntia Species For Fuels Production And Energymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Challenges and Perspectivesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Agave and Opuntia Species as Sustainable Feedstocks for Bioenergy and Byproducts

2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Agave could be a promising bioenergy feedstock due to its high productivity, high capacity to thrive in semi-arid regions, and efficiency in the use of water [87]. Commercial agave crops have annual biomass productivities ranging from 8.5 ton × a −1 × year −1 to 22 ton × ha −1 × year −1 [88], and their remarkable sugar content and lower lignin levels (compared with their cellulose content), make agave by-products an attractive material from a bioprocessing perspective.…”

Section: Agave As a Potential Biofuel Feedstockmentioning

confidence: 99%

Agave By-Products: An Overview of Their Nutraceutical Value, Current Applications, and Processing Methods

et al. 2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Agave, commonly known as “maguey” is an important part of the Mexican tradition and economy, and is mainly used for the production of alcoholic beverages, such as tequila. Industrial exploitation generates by-products, including leaves, bagasse, and fibers, that can be re-valorized. Agave is composed of cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, fructans, and pectin, as well as simple carbohydrates. Regarding functional properties, fructans content makes agave a potential source of prebiotics with the capability to lower blood glucose and enhance lipid homeostasis when it is incorporated as a prebiotic ingredient in cookies and granola bars. Agave also has phytochemicals, such as saponins and flavonoids, conferring anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anticancer properties, among other benefits. Agave fibers are used for polymer-based composite reinforcement and elaboration, due to their thermo-mechanical properties. Agave bagasse is considered a promising biofuel feedstock, attributed to its high-water efficiency and biomass productivity, as well as its high carbohydrate content. The optimization of physical and chemical pretreatments, enzymatic saccharification and fermentation are key for biofuel production. Emerging technologies, such as ultrasound, can provide an alternative to current pretreatment processes. In conclusion, agaves are a rich source of by-products with a wide range of potential industrial applications, therefore novel processing methods are being explored for a sustainable re-valorization of these residues.

show abstract

Lignocellulose Feedstock Availability, Types of Feedstocks, and New Designer Crops

Bustos¹,

Trujillo²,

Martinez³

et al. 2022

Lignocellulose Bioconversion Through White Biotechnology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Agave: A promising feedstock for biofuels in the water-energy-food-environment (WEFE) nexus

Cited by 29 publications

References 26 publications

Agave and Opuntia Species as Sustainable Feedstocks for Bioenergy and Byproducts

Agave and Opuntia Species as Sustainable Feedstocks for Bioenergy and Byproducts

Agave By-Products: An Overview of Their Nutraceutical Value, Current Applications, and Processing Methods

Lignocellulose Feedstock Availability, Types of Feedstocks, and New Designer Crops

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About