Abstract
The dominance of fossil fuels in the energy sector is associated with greenhouse-gas
emission and release of atmospheric pollutants. Biomass-based energy generation is
considered a potential alternative for replacement of fossil fuels, and it has been
used as a sustainable source of heat and power for a long time. Biomass as a feedstock
can be used for the synthesis of different energy products. Catalysts play a significant
role in various conversion routes and affect the yield of major products. Researchers
have mainly focused on starchy feedstock, lignocellulosic biomass, and triglyceride
containing biomass for bioenergy production. Catalytic reactions for biomass feedstock
mainly involve deoxygenation, hydrolysis, hydrogenation, dehydrogenation, and oxidation
etc. This review provides an overview of catalytic reactions for the conversion of
different classes of biomass feedstock for biofuel production. The primary aim of
this review is to summarize catalytic strategies for conversion of lignocellulosic
biomass into value-added products.
Keywords
biomass - heterogeneous catalysis - catalytic conversion - sustainable energy