Commercial cellulosic ethanol: The role of plant-expressed enzymes

The use and production of biofuels has risen dramatically in recent yr. Bioethanol comprises 85% of total global biofuels production, with benefits including reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and promotion of energy independence and rural economic development. Ethanol is primarily made from corn...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:In vitro cellular & developmental biology. Plant 2009-06, Vol.45 (3), p.314-329
Main Author: Sainz, Manuel B
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agricultural commodities
Alternative energy sources
Biodiesel fuels
Biofuels
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Capital costs
Cell Biology
Cellulosic ethanol
Developmental Biology
Economic development
Economics
Emissions control
Energy economics
Energy policy
Engineering research
Enzymes
Ethanol
Farm buildings
Fermentation
Fossil fuels
Gasoline
Greenhouse gases
Hydrolysis
Invited Review
Invited Reviews
Life Sciences
Plant Breeding/Biotechnology
Plant Genetics and Genomics
Plant Sciences
Plants
Pretreatment
Prices
Production costs
R&D
Raw materials
Research & development
Sugar
Sugarcane
Sugars
Tax basis
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Summary:The use and production of biofuels has risen dramatically in recent yr. Bioethanol comprises 85% of total global biofuels production, with benefits including reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and promotion of energy independence and rural economic development. Ethanol is primarily made from corn grain in the USA and sugarcane juice in Brazil. However, ethanol production using current technologies will ultimately be limited by land availability, government policy, and alternative uses for these agricultural products. Biomass feedstocks are an enormous and renewable source of fermentable sugars that could potentially provide a significant proportion of transport fuels globally. A major technical challenge in making cellulosic ethanol economically viable is the need to lower the costs of the enzymes needed to convert biomass to fermentable sugars. The expression of cellulases and hemicellulases in crop plants and their integration with existing ethanol production systems are key technologies under development that will significantly improve the process economics of cellulosic ethanol production.
ISSN:1054-5476
1475-2689
DOI:10.1007/s11627-009-9210-1