New Sustainable Model of Biorefineries: Biofactories and Challenges of Integrating Bio‐ and Solar Refineries

Abstract

The new scenario for sustainable (low-carbon) chemical and energy production drives the development of new biorefinery concepts (indicated as biofactories) with chemical production at the core, but flexible and small-scale production. An important element is also the integration of solar energy and CO2 use within biobased production. This concept paper, after shortly introducing the motivation and recent trends in this area, particularly at the industrial scale, and some of the possible models (olefin and intermediate/high-added-value chemicals production), discusses the opportunities and needs for research to address the challenge of integrating bio- and solar refineries. Aspects discussed regard the use of microalgae and CO2 valorization in biorefineries/biofactories by chemo- or biocatalysis, including possibilities for their synergetic cooperation and symbiosis, as well as integration within the agroenergy value chain.

Synthesis of Monoalkyl Glyceryl Ethers by Ring Opening of Glycidol with Alcohols in the Presence of Lewis Acids

“…The importance of bio‐based feedstocks in the chemical industry is continuously growing and their use is predicted to surpass that of products obtained by non‐renewable fossil sources in the near future . Indeed, the concept of biorefineries as a new sustainable scenario for the production of fuels and chemicals from biomass has gained considerable attention in recent years, in both academic and industrial environments . In particular, a sector of enormous economic relevance in this area is represented by processes that involve the conversion of glycerol, referred to as “glycerochemistry” …”

“…[1] Indeed, the concepto fb iorefineries as an ew sustainable scenariof or the production of fuels and chemicals from biomass has gained considerable attention in recent years, in both academic and industrial environments. [1][2][3][4] In particular, as ector of enormouse conomic relevance in this area is represented by processes that involve the conversion of glycerol, referred to as "glycerochemistry". [5][6][7][8] Glycerolh as received much attention owing to the continuous increasei nb iodiesel demand, which led the globalp roductiono fg lycerolt or each 1.5 Mt in 2015 and it is expected to rise to 2.5 Mt by 2020.…”

Beyond Solar Fuels: Renewable Energy‐Driven Chemistry

“…For the chemical industry,a side from the introduction of a few production processes based on the use of biomass-based raw materials, [30,31] it is expectedt hat fossil fuels will be the backbonef or production, both as carbon and especially as an energy source, for example in base raw materials such as light olefins. [32] Even so, there are clear motivations, from energy and raw materials ecurity to sustainability aspects including lowering the carbon footprint, which encourage the need to go beyond fossil fuel-centric chemical production.…”

Glycidol, a Valuable Substrate for the Synthesis of Monoalkyl Glyceryl Ethers: A Simplified Life Cycle Approach

“…[6,7] Notably, the synthesis of monoalkyl glyceryl ethers (MAGEs) is considered one of the most promising strategiesf or glycerole xploitation among the investigated syntheticr outes to convert glyceroli nto value-added products. [6,7] Notably, the synthesis of monoalkyl glyceryl ethers (MAGEs) is considered one of the most promising strategiesf or glycerole xploitation among the investigated syntheticr outes to convert glyceroli nto value-added products.…”

“…Nowadays, the recent development of biorefineriesi nt he chemicali ndustry is largely related to "glycerochemistry", that is, the conversion of glycerol into products of fine specialty and bulk chemicals for different industrial purposes. [6,7] Notably, the synthesis of monoalkyl glyceryl ethers (MAGEs) is considered one of the most promising strategiesf or glycerole xploitation among the investigated syntheticr outes to convert glyceroli nto value-added products. [8,9] As shown in Figure 1, MAGEsr epresent the building blockso faversatile class of compounds with several applications, for example, they are used in the production of detergents, polymers, additives( for fuels, lubricants,p rinting inks, etc.…”