Technological: Development of an efficient biomass
saccharification process Overcoming lignocellulosic biomass
recalcitrance followed by enzymatic hydrolysis of reactive
polymeric carbohydrates (i.e., cost-efficient liberation of
fermentable sugars from biomass) is perhaps the most challenging
technical and economic barrier to biorefinery success.
Pretreatment is among the most costly steps in biochemical
conversion of biomass, accounting for up to 40% of the total
processing cost. Also, it affects the costs of other operations
including size reduction prior to pretreatment and enzymatic
hydrolysis and fermentation after pretreatment. Pretreatment can
also strongly influence downstream costs involving
detoxification if inhibitors are generated, enzymatic hydrolysis
rate and enzyme loading, mixing power, product concentration,
product purification, power generation, waste treatment demands,
and other process variables.