Life-cycle analysis of a hydrocarbon biorefinery

The rapidly increasing demand and consequently, the scarcity of fossil fuel is a major concern to the energy sector. The development of alternative fuels has spurred the researchers to comprehend the biorefinery concept as a sustainable approach. A biorefinery converts renewable biomass into valuable products and energy and entails different technologies and processes in sustainable pathways. The stringent environmental norms have insisted the researchers do complete life-cycle analysis to assure the sustainability of any new process being developed. To appraise the economic viability and the ecological effect of these biorefineries, a comprehensive life-cycle assessment is mandatory. The studies suggest that the integrated biorefineries, which coproduce a significant amount of green chemicals, are more environmentally friendly as compared to the fuel-only biorefineries. This chapter presents a critique of different biorefinery configurations, such as biodiesel, bioethanol, bio-jet fuels, and hydrocarbon biofuels, in terms of their life-cycle analysis.