Biorefineries: India’s future option for energy and chemical feedstock

Abstract

The search for renewable and alternative sources of energy demands an industrial revolution where biorefineries will be the leading industries using biomass as substrate in place of petrochemical refineries. Establishment of biorefineries using complex biomass like lignin and cellulose from waste biomass is preferred and need of the hour. Many countries of the world, including India, are favourable places for the establishment of biorefineries due to an abundance of the residual biomass. Native as well as designed microbes having capability to ferment the hexoses and pentoses released from biomass along with the steps of gasification of biomass are the two key processes in the operation of biorefineries. Biorefineries are interdisciplinary industrial units which are in the infancy stage and require tender support from government and research institutes to flourish in the future as an alternative source of energy and feedstock.