Integrated Approach for Biomass Conversion Using Thermochemical Routes with Anaerobic Digestion and Syngas Fermentation
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This review focuses on the integration of thermochemical and biochemical processes as a transformative approach to biomass conversion. By combining technologies such as anaerobic digestion, hydrothermal liquefaction, pyrolysis, and syngas fermentation, this review highlights how hybrid systems maximize resource recovery and improve energy efficiency. Key examples include the use of digestate from anaerobic digestion as a feedstock for pyrolysis or hydrothermal carbonization, enhancing biochar and hydrochar production while improving nutrient recycling. Similarly, the integration of syngas fermentation with gasification demonstrates how thermochemical products can be further valorized into biofuels under milder biochemical conditions. This review also addresses the reuse of by-products, such as the aqueous phase from hydrothermal processes, in nutrient recovery and algae cultivation, showcasing the circular potential of these systems. By emphasizing the technical and economic synergies of integrating diverse technologies, this paper outlines a clear pathway for industrial-scale adoption, contributing to sustainable energy production and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
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Key obstacles currently hindering commercialization of 4G biofuels include the need to improve production process productivity and robustness, achieve cost reductions through economies of scale and technological maturation, ensure consistent biofuel performance and quality meeting market specifications, and navigate complex regulatory landscapes and public perception.
“Key obstacles currently hindering commercialization includes the need to improve production process productivity and robustness, achieve cost reductions through economies of scale and technological maturation, ensure consistent biofuel performance and quality meeting market specifications, and navigate complex regulatory landscapes and public perception [175,176,179].”
From Biofuels, E-Fuels, and Waste-Derived Fuels: Advances, Challenges, and Future Directions (2025) · cites this paper as [176]
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Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredSignificant technical, logistical, and economic challenges must be overcome for 4G biofuels to transition from research to widespread commercial feasibility, including issues related to process scalability, feedstock consistency, and system integration.
“However, significant technical, logistical, and economic challenges must be overcome for 4G biofuels to transition from research to widespread commercial feasibility, including issues related to process scalability, feedstock consistency, and system integration [72,175,176].”
From Biofuels, E-Fuels, and Waste-Derived Fuels: Advances, Challenges, and Future Directions (2025) · cites this paper as [176]
Sections 3 (Economic and Environmental Impact Analysis) and 5 (Strategies for Industrial Implementation) describe technical, economic, feedstock-logistics, and system-integration barriers to scaling hybrid biomass conversion from pilot to industrial deployment. The paper does not identify these as challenges specific to 4G biofuels, so the claim extends its findings to a more specific category than the cited text establishes. Page numbers were not available in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.86)
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Biofuels, E-Fuels, and Waste-Derived Fuels: Advances, Challenges, and Future Directions
Yılbaşı, Z. (2025) · Sustainability · doi:10.3390/su17136145 · Cited by 41 · see citing works
Advances in organic acid production using cyanobacteria: Strategies and applications
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- Authors
- Hidalgo, D., Urueña, A., Martín-Marroquín, J. M., & Díez, D.
- Affiliations
- CARTIF (ES)
- Corresponding author
- Hidalgo, Dolores
- Venue
- Sustainability
- Publisher
- MDPI AG
- Published
- 2025-04-16
- Volume
- 17
- Issue
- 8
- Pages
- 3615
- ISSN
- 2071-1050 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W4409557756
- Cited by
- 55
- References
- 57
- Citations by year
- 2026: 41 · 2025: 14
- FWCI
- 13.42
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Sustainability (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Preprints.org (acceptedVersion, cc-by)
- RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- State Research Agency, Ministry of Science and Innovation (PLEC2022-009349)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Biomedical Engineering › Thermochemical Biomass Conversion Processes
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Building and Construction › Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas Production
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Biomedical Engineering › Biofuel production and bioconversion
- Keywords
- biomass conversion, thermochemical processes, anaerobic digestion, syngas fermentation, hydrothermal liquefaction, hydrothermal carbonization, pyrolysis, digestate, biochar, hydrochar, nutrient recovery, algae cultivation, gasification, biofuels, circular economy, process integration
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