Bioconversion of Hemicelluloses
into Hydrogen
Janak Raj Khatiwada, Sarita Shrestha, Hem Kanta Sharma,
and Wensheng Qin
Abstract
Hydrogen is a promising alternative to fossil fuels
because of its environment-friendly characteristics. It
has been used widely in varied sectors such as chemical
production, electronic devices, food industries, desulfurization of crude oil, and steel industries. Due to its
increasing use and demand, it is essential to develop a
cheaper and energy-efficient source of hydrogen production. This review synthesizes and discusses various
aspects of hydrogen production methods and processes,
the challenges, and economic perspective for sustainable
production of biohydrogen. Compared to electrolysis,
thermochemical and electrochemical processes, the biohydrogen production is environment friendly and energy
efficient. Various factors such as feedstock, pH, temperature, partial pressure of hydrogen, and hydraulic retention time are responsible for the biological process and
yield of biological hydrogen production. This review
suggests that lignocellulosic biomass is commonly available, cheaper and eco-friendly source of hydrogen
production.
Keywords
Hydrogen Á Biomass Á Pretreatments Á Biohydrogen
production Á Limiting factors
1 Global Energy Demand
The global energy demand increased by 2.9% in 2018 and
the annual global energy consumption was estimated at
13,864 million tons of oil equivalent (in 2018). Fossil fuels
are regarded as the major drivers of the industrial revolution
leading to economic and technological changes in the recent
years. In the total energy consumption, fossil fuel alone
accounted 85% including oil (34%), natural gas (24%), and
coal (27%). Remaining 15% are used from other forms of
energy such as nuclear energy (4%), hydroelectricity (7%),
and renewable resources (4%) (BP 2019). The high consumption of fossil fuel in recent decades is considered as a
major factor for global warming. Also, the recent consumption trend indicates further growth in the increment of
greenhouse gas emissions in future. In this context, overcoming the recent energy demand by lowering the emission
of greenhouse gas has become a great challenge.
Several researches are ongoing worldwide to discover
cheaper, eco-friendly, and alternative renewable energy
sources which can minimize the world’s carbon footprint.
Recent studies revealed that alternative and renewable
energy resources could be a better solution for sustainable
energy production and energy security in the future because
they mitigate greenhouse gas emission (Sharif et al. 2019).
Renewable and alternative energy resources are easily
available as compared to other energy sources and are
derived from solar, hydropower, geothermal, wind, ocean
resources, and solid biomass, and others (Ellabban et al.
2014). Compared to other sources of renewable energies, the
conversion of biomass for energy production is one of the
cheapest and promising alternatives. Moreover, the biomass
is readily and widely available and is cheap in terms of
investment costs and feasible technology (Macqueen and
Korhaliller 2011).
J. R. Khatiwada Á S. Shrestha Á H. K. Sharma Á W. Qin (&)
Department of Biology, Lakehead University, 955 Oliver Road,
Thunder Bay, ON P7B 5E1, Canada
e-mail: wqin@lakeheadu.ca
H. K. Sharma
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta,
Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9, Canada
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
Inamuddin and A. Khan (eds.), Sustainable Bioconversion of Waste to Value Added Products, Advances in Science,
Technology & Innovation, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-61837-7_16
267
into Hydrogen
Janak Raj Khatiwada, Sarita Shrestha, Hem Kanta Sharma,
and Wensheng Qin
Abstract
Hydrogen is a promising alternative to fossil fuels
because of its environment-friendly characteristics. It
has been used widely in varied sectors such as chemical
production, electronic devices, food industries, desulfurization of crude oil, and steel industries. Due to its
increasing use and demand, it is essential to develop a
cheaper and energy-efficient source of hydrogen production. This review synthesizes and discusses various
aspects of hydrogen production methods and processes,
the challenges, and economic perspective for sustainable
production of biohydrogen. Compared to electrolysis,
thermochemical and electrochemical processes, the biohydrogen production is environment friendly and energy
efficient. Various factors such as feedstock, pH, temperature, partial pressure of hydrogen, and hydraulic retention time are responsible for the biological process and
yield of biological hydrogen production. This review
suggests that lignocellulosic biomass is commonly available, cheaper and eco-friendly source of hydrogen
production.
Keywords
Hydrogen Á Biomass Á Pretreatments Á Biohydrogen
production Á Limiting factors
1 Global Energy Demand
The global energy demand increased by 2.9% in 2018 and
the annual global energy consumption was estimated at
13,864 million tons of oil equivalent (in 2018). Fossil fuels
are regarded as the major drivers of the industrial revolution
leading to economic and technological changes in the recent
years. In the total energy consumption, fossil fuel alone
accounted 85% including oil (34%), natural gas (24%), and
coal (27%). Remaining 15% are used from other forms of
energy such as nuclear energy (4%), hydroelectricity (7%),
and renewable resources (4%) (BP 2019). The high consumption of fossil fuel in recent decades is considered as a
major factor for global warming. Also, the recent consumption trend indicates further growth in the increment of
greenhouse gas emissions in future. In this context, overcoming the recent energy demand by lowering the emission
of greenhouse gas has become a great challenge.
Several researches are ongoing worldwide to discover
cheaper, eco-friendly, and alternative renewable energy
sources which can minimize the world’s carbon footprint.
Recent studies revealed that alternative and renewable
energy resources could be a better solution for sustainable
energy production and energy security in the future because
they mitigate greenhouse gas emission (Sharif et al. 2019).
Renewable and alternative energy resources are easily
available as compared to other energy sources and are
derived from solar, hydropower, geothermal, wind, ocean
resources, and solid biomass, and others (Ellabban et al.
2014). Compared to other sources of renewable energies, the
conversion of biomass for energy production is one of the
cheapest and promising alternatives. Moreover, the biomass
is readily and widely available and is cheap in terms of
investment costs and feasible technology (Macqueen and
Korhaliller 2011).
J. R. Khatiwada Á S. Shrestha Á H. K. Sharma Á W. Qin (&)
Department of Biology, Lakehead University, 955 Oliver Road,
Thunder Bay, ON P7B 5E1, Canada
e-mail: wqin@lakeheadu.ca
H. K. Sharma
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta,
Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9, Canada
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
Inamuddin and A. Khan (eds.), Sustainable Bioconversion of Waste to Value Added Products, Advances in Science,
Technology & Innovation, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-61837-7_16
267