2.3
Biomass Availability
Biomass is an organic matter that consists of cellulose, hemicelluloses, and lignin. In
the world, biomasses such as softwood, hardwood, grasses, food waste, among
others are used for the production of bioenergy and chemical in a biorefinery
platform. The world widely needs to produce energy from renewable sources such
as vegetable biomasses, an important source for bioenergy production. Therefore,
biogas, biodiesel, aviation biokerosene, and bioethanol are gaining prominence in
the global bioeconomic scenario.
However, the lignocellulosic materials represent a raw material source meager
exploited in biotechnological processes. Its use is mainly based on energy generation
through burning process and animal feed. However, new applications are emerging
and can provide a better use of these materials. There are numerous researches with
the objective of using the biomass macromolecules, cellulose, hemicelluloses, and
lignin.
Among the lignocellulosic materials, sugarcane stands out, with Brazil being the
largest producer and consumer in the world. The 2018/2019 sugarcane harvest was
estimated at 615.84 million tons, with a projected production of 32.3 million liters of
ethanol (CONAB 2018). Each ton generated from processed sugarcane obtained
250–280 kg of bagasse (Aguiar et al. 2010).
Another waste biomass resulting from sugarcane crops is the straw. As with the
bagasse, the straw is rich in cellulose (40–44%), hemicelluloses (30–32%), and
lignin (22–25%) (Santos et al. 2012). Each ton of cane used in Brazil produced
140 kg of straw (Santos et al. 2013). Sugarcane straw has been used to make secondgeneration ethanol like bagasse. One study has shown by estimates that 444 kg of
glucose can be obtained for each ton of straw, and through a fermentation process, it
would be possible to obtain 226.4 kg of ethanol, and to each ton of straw, 287 liters
of ethanol are produced (Santos et al. 2012).
In addition to sugarcane, Brazil produces other biomass types, and one of them is
forest biomass. The supply of forest biomass is by residues or energy forests
(BNDES 2011) and may be composed of softwood or hardwood. In Brazil, the
cultivation and production of softwood is highlighted by the pulp and paper industry.
Among the softwoods produced in Brazil are the Eucalyptus ssp. and Pinus ssp.
Brazil had 9.85 million hectares of forest plants, among which the Eucalyptus
plantation was equivalent to about 75.2% and Pinus was equivalent to 20.6% of
that amount (IBGE 2017). Brazil produced 19.85 thousand tons of cellulose in 2018
(IBÁ 2018). The production of the pulp and paper industry represents an important
economic sector in Brazil. Softwood biomass from Pinus ssp. is prominent in Brazil
due to its production amount. The Pinus taeda species is the most cultivated, with an
extension of one million hectares planted in the southern region of the country
(EMBRAPA 2014), with average yields varying from 18 to 28 m
3 per hectare per
year (IPEF 2018).
Furthermore the biomass types already mentioned, such as sugarcane bagasse,
hardwood, and softwood, soybeans are also considered in Brazil, one of the main
raw materials for Brazilian bioenergy, since it is utilized in the production of
Brazilian biodiesel.
40
F. L. Shimizu et al.
Biomass Availability
Biomass is an organic matter that consists of cellulose, hemicelluloses, and lignin. In
the world, biomasses such as softwood, hardwood, grasses, food waste, among
others are used for the production of bioenergy and chemical in a biorefinery
platform. The world widely needs to produce energy from renewable sources such
as vegetable biomasses, an important source for bioenergy production. Therefore,
biogas, biodiesel, aviation biokerosene, and bioethanol are gaining prominence in
the global bioeconomic scenario.
However, the lignocellulosic materials represent a raw material source meager
exploited in biotechnological processes. Its use is mainly based on energy generation
through burning process and animal feed. However, new applications are emerging
and can provide a better use of these materials. There are numerous researches with
the objective of using the biomass macromolecules, cellulose, hemicelluloses, and
lignin.
Among the lignocellulosic materials, sugarcane stands out, with Brazil being the
largest producer and consumer in the world. The 2018/2019 sugarcane harvest was
estimated at 615.84 million tons, with a projected production of 32.3 million liters of
ethanol (CONAB 2018). Each ton generated from processed sugarcane obtained
250–280 kg of bagasse (Aguiar et al. 2010).
Another waste biomass resulting from sugarcane crops is the straw. As with the
bagasse, the straw is rich in cellulose (40–44%), hemicelluloses (30–32%), and
lignin (22–25%) (Santos et al. 2012). Each ton of cane used in Brazil produced
140 kg of straw (Santos et al. 2013). Sugarcane straw has been used to make secondgeneration ethanol like bagasse. One study has shown by estimates that 444 kg of
glucose can be obtained for each ton of straw, and through a fermentation process, it
would be possible to obtain 226.4 kg of ethanol, and to each ton of straw, 287 liters
of ethanol are produced (Santos et al. 2012).
In addition to sugarcane, Brazil produces other biomass types, and one of them is
forest biomass. The supply of forest biomass is by residues or energy forests
(BNDES 2011) and may be composed of softwood or hardwood. In Brazil, the
cultivation and production of softwood is highlighted by the pulp and paper industry.
Among the softwoods produced in Brazil are the Eucalyptus ssp. and Pinus ssp.
Brazil had 9.85 million hectares of forest plants, among which the Eucalyptus
plantation was equivalent to about 75.2% and Pinus was equivalent to 20.6% of
that amount (IBGE 2017). Brazil produced 19.85 thousand tons of cellulose in 2018
(IBÁ 2018). The production of the pulp and paper industry represents an important
economic sector in Brazil. Softwood biomass from Pinus ssp. is prominent in Brazil
due to its production amount. The Pinus taeda species is the most cultivated, with an
extension of one million hectares planted in the southern region of the country
(EMBRAPA 2014), with average yields varying from 18 to 28 m
3 per hectare per
year (IPEF 2018).
Furthermore the biomass types already mentioned, such as sugarcane bagasse,
hardwood, and softwood, soybeans are also considered in Brazil, one of the main
raw materials for Brazilian bioenergy, since it is utilized in the production of
Brazilian biodiesel.
40
F. L. Shimizu et al.