Development of Saccharification Technology via Fast Pyrolysis for the Production of Biofuels and Biochemicals

Abstract

To address global warming caused by fossil fuel use, the utilization of renewable biomass resources is increasingly essential. Among them, lignocellulosic biomass such as grasses and wood is particularly attractive due to its abundance. A key technology for its effective use is saccharification, which enables the conversion of biomass into fermentable sugars―critical for expanding biofuel and biochemical production. While glucose can be used to synthesize most petroleum-based plastics, current sources rely on sugars and starches, which face supply and food competition issues. Similar challenges exist in bioethanol production. Therefore, saccharification of non-edible and abundant lignocellulosic biomass is indispensable. This paper introduces a pyrolysis-based saccharification for cellulose, pulp, and wastepaper, developed under the support of JST-Mirai Program.