A review on thermochemical based biorefinery catalyst development progress

Abstract

The depletion of fossil fuel resources highlighted the need for renewable energy. Among different sources of renewable energy, biorefineries, which are based on thermochemical processes, got the interest of scientists. There are several thermochemical methods, which have been investigated in recent years. However fast pyrolysis, gasification and hydrothermal liquefaction processes are the most mature ones to be industrialized. They result in different final products, which could be used in different applications. However, there is always this question “Which one to go with to get the fuel, no matter of the type, sooner, cheaper, easier and with the lowest pollution” between investors and technologists. Considering all these aspects, this article provides insights into the fundamental and applied concepts of fast pyrolysis, gasification and hydrothermal liquefaction processes. This includes the catalyst development from the past to the present. The economic and environmental aspects of these thermochemical technologies were also studied. Based on this, comparisons were carried out to highlight the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of each technology. The possible remaining obstacles were clarified.