Fermentation of lignocellulosic renewable resources and hydrogen production

Abstract

Using cheap renewable raw materials such as lignocellulosic feedstock for hydrogen production by fermentation has great significance and potential to give a major contribution to future clean energy. Using hydrogen as a promising alternative energy source for fossil fuels is increasing. Hydrogen is clean, renewable high energy fuel that does not contribute the greenhouse gas effect. The main challenges in developing hydrogen production are the low hydrogen yields due to poor efficiency on a direct microbial assimilation of cellulosic materials. From this reason, in the world today occurs considerable research efforts to improve the pretreatment and hydrolysis of lignocellulosic materials. The development of effective cellulase enzymes, optimization and improvement of the fermentation process as well as engineering approaches to application processes are the basis of the increased popularity of the lignocellulosic feedstock. Research on the genomic combined with genetic engineering offers a wide range of opportunities to improve the performance of using cellulosic raw materials in the production of hydrogen. This paper provides an overview of key technologies in the world today that research and development biohydrogen from lignocellulosic feedstocks.