The challenges of using lignocellulosic biomass in pioneer industrial plants

Abstract

To use residual biomass in industrial plants it is necessary to fulfill conditions that have proven challenging when developing production processes based on renewable sources. Relatively recent efforts to produce second‐generation ethanol (2GE) have led to some caveats regarding obstacles that can arise in the large‐scale conversion of residual lignocellulosic biomass to biofuel. Even after years of research to develop technological packages that would make the production of 2GE feasible, the first plants installed could not operate continuously within the design, and they failed to meet market expectations. By interviewing managers from the 2GE pioneer plants, the research reported in this paper identified the methods used by the 2GE pioneers, from decision‐making processes to startup and plant operation. Analyzing the challenges they faced and their relationships with innovation processes, it found that industrial handling of lignocellulosic biomass was the main reason for the relative operational failure of the pioneer 2GE production plants. It also found that changes of policy and lack of efficient communication between the equipment suppliers and the users might also lead to the failure of the pioneer plants. Based on these findings, this paper considers the significance of these projects for biobased industries using lignocellulosic biomass in pioneer plants. The conclusions suggest that filling the knowledge gap related to the industrial handling of lignocellulosic biomass, as well as understanding that new relationships between biorefineries and their equipment suppliers may generate new paths for innovation processes, should be fundamental for the implementation of first‐of‐a‐kind plants within the scope of bioeconomy.