Ethanol via Biomass generated Syngas

Developing low-cost sustainable fuels, such as ethanol, is receiving much attention due to rising energy costs, national security, and environmental issues. Renewable biomass, such as switchgrass, can be utilized to produce fuel-grade ethanol via a gasification and fermentation process. During the gasification process, biomass is converted to syngas (primarily CO, CO2 and H2) and subsequently fermented to ethanol. Major advantages of the process include low pressure and temperature processing conditions and the utilization of the lignin component of cellulosic biomass, as well as the cellulosic and hemicellulosic components, for producing ethanol. Nevertheless, syngas fermentation has potential challenges including gas mass transfer limitations, low alcohol productivity, and fermentation inhibition due to syngas contaminants. Although potential challenges exist, the production of ethanol from biomass-generated syngas is a process with great potential.