Advances in Bioethanol Production from Lignocellulosic Biomass

With limited fossil fuel resources and increasing global energy demand, greenhouse gas emissions and climate change, there is a need to find alternative energy sources that are sustainable, environmentally friendly, renewable and economically viable. In recent decades, interest in the production of second-generation bioethanol from non-food lignocellulosic biomass in the form of organic residues increased significantly due to its abundance, renewability and low cost. Bioethanol production fits into the circular economy strategy and zero-waste plans. The use of ethanol as an alternative fuel makes the global economy independent of the petrochemical industry and provides energy security and environmental protection. However, converting biomass into ethanol is a complex and multi-step process due to the varying biochemical composition of biomass and the recalcitrant nature of lignin, the aromatic component of lignocellulose. Therefore, commercial production of cellulosic ethanol has not yet taken off as it is hampered by high research and production costs, and significant efforts are needed to make it more widespread and profitable.

This Research Topic aims to present the current state of the art in bioethanol production, highlighting the most challenging steps in the production processes, including the pre-treatment steps required for the fragmentation of biomass components and their further enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation, and illuminate novel and debatable research ideas that will tackle these challenges and build sustainable partnerships in an interdisciplinary fashion to combat the global energy crisis at hand.

We welcome Original Research, Review, Mini Review and Perspective articles on themes including, but not limited to:

• Utilisation of lignocellulosic biomass for bioethanol production

• Novel pretreatment methods of lignocellulosic biomass in bioethanol production

• Detoxification of pre-treated biomass

• New effective methods for biomass hydrolysis

• Advances in fermentation of monosugars in bioethanol production

• Future perspectives of second-generation biorefineries

Keywords: bioethanol, lignocellulose, lignocellulosic biomass, lignocellulosic complex, biofuel, biorefinery

Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.