48
T. Bratec et al.
1 Introduction
The fossil fuel era had a great influence on human development, contributing considerably to global technological, economic and social progress. Fossil fuels are still
the main resources for the world energy supply and account for more than 80% of
worldwide primary energy consumption (Escobar et al. 2009). However, since these
reserves are being steadily depleted and as fossil sources are subjected to certain economic (e.g. increasing market prices, …) and environmental (e.g. air quality, global
climate change, …) concerns, the search for and development of alternative sources
has been launched by the global community. Among these sources, particular attention is given nowadays to biomass, seen as the only natural possibility for replacing
solid, liquid and gaseous fossil fuels in large quantities (Klass 1998).
Biomass is non-fossil organic material that has stored sunlight in the form of
chemical energy. It could be produced from agriculture, forestry, municipal waste
and residues. At present, global demand for biomass is constantly increasing, driven
by market development as well as regulatory policies implemented in many countries.
Apart from its contribution to the energy supply, the biomass is increasingly used for
the production of a variety of chemical products and construction materials (Dornburg
et al. 2008). The use of biomass in the industrial production of both energy and nonenergy sectors is supported at national, regional and local levels (Cherubini 2010) by
the development of new biorefinery facilities or by the integration of biorefinery processes into already existing industrial infrastructures. However, as Cherubini (2010)
indicates, newly constructed biorefineries most probably encompass a whole range
of different-sized installations, unlike, for example, those converted from former oil
refineries, which are almost invariably very large plants (Cherubini 2010).
International Energy Agency Task 42 proposed the following definition of biorefinery: “Biorefining is the sustainable processing of biomass into a spectrum of
bio-based products (food, feed, chemicals and materials) and bio-energy” (Bioenergy 2014). Biorefineries are grouped into two main categories: energy-driven and
material driven biorefinery systems. In the first case, the biomass is used for the
production of secondary energy carriers, while in the second case, the biorefineries generate bio-based products and process residues that could be then processed
or utilized for the energy production (Cherubini et al. 2009). According to 2017year data of the Cologne-based nova-Institute, 224 biorefineries of different types
(“sugar-/starch based”, “oil-/fat-based—biodiesel” and “oil-/fat-based—oleo chemistry”, “wood-based”, “lignocellulose other than wood” and “bio-waste-based”) are
operating across Europe, and several dozen more are currently under construction.
The type of these refineries is dependent on the locally available biomass (Green
Chemicals Blog 2017). Indeed, to guarantee sustainable, well-operating biorefineries it is very important to provide a well-organized management strategy since poor
management and inappropriate direction of biorefineries could contribute to deterioration in environmental quality and endanger social and economic development. In
addition, the consideration of possible environmental and socio-economic aspects
should be considered not only at the operational stage, but long before the facility
T. Bratec et al.
1 Introduction
The fossil fuel era had a great influence on human development, contributing considerably to global technological, economic and social progress. Fossil fuels are still
the main resources for the world energy supply and account for more than 80% of
worldwide primary energy consumption (Escobar et al. 2009). However, since these
reserves are being steadily depleted and as fossil sources are subjected to certain economic (e.g. increasing market prices, …) and environmental (e.g. air quality, global
climate change, …) concerns, the search for and development of alternative sources
has been launched by the global community. Among these sources, particular attention is given nowadays to biomass, seen as the only natural possibility for replacing
solid, liquid and gaseous fossil fuels in large quantities (Klass 1998).
Biomass is non-fossil organic material that has stored sunlight in the form of
chemical energy. It could be produced from agriculture, forestry, municipal waste
and residues. At present, global demand for biomass is constantly increasing, driven
by market development as well as regulatory policies implemented in many countries.
Apart from its contribution to the energy supply, the biomass is increasingly used for
the production of a variety of chemical products and construction materials (Dornburg
et al. 2008). The use of biomass in the industrial production of both energy and nonenergy sectors is supported at national, regional and local levels (Cherubini 2010) by
the development of new biorefinery facilities or by the integration of biorefinery processes into already existing industrial infrastructures. However, as Cherubini (2010)
indicates, newly constructed biorefineries most probably encompass a whole range
of different-sized installations, unlike, for example, those converted from former oil
refineries, which are almost invariably very large plants (Cherubini 2010).
International Energy Agency Task 42 proposed the following definition of biorefinery: “Biorefining is the sustainable processing of biomass into a spectrum of
bio-based products (food, feed, chemicals and materials) and bio-energy” (Bioenergy 2014). Biorefineries are grouped into two main categories: energy-driven and
material driven biorefinery systems. In the first case, the biomass is used for the
production of secondary energy carriers, while in the second case, the biorefineries generate bio-based products and process residues that could be then processed
or utilized for the energy production (Cherubini et al. 2009). According to 2017year data of the Cologne-based nova-Institute, 224 biorefineries of different types
(“sugar-/starch based”, “oil-/fat-based—biodiesel” and “oil-/fat-based—oleo chemistry”, “wood-based”, “lignocellulose other than wood” and “bio-waste-based”) are
operating across Europe, and several dozen more are currently under construction.
The type of these refineries is dependent on the locally available biomass (Green
Chemicals Blog 2017). Indeed, to guarantee sustainable, well-operating biorefineries it is very important to provide a well-organized management strategy since poor
management and inappropriate direction of biorefineries could contribute to deterioration in environmental quality and endanger social and economic development. In
addition, the consideration of possible environmental and socio-economic aspects
should be considered not only at the operational stage, but long before the facility