We can derive energy from biomass by burning it. But a new process will extract more useful fuels, such as alcohols, esters, carboxylic acids, and aviation fuel from lignin – a polymer in plant cell walls.
Lignin is difficult to breakdown; it’s function is to provide rigidity to the cell wall structure. But the new process — the co-solvent enhanced lignocellulosic fractionation pretreatment process (CELF) — deconstructs lignin, and other parts of biomass, from fractionation into various forms of fuel.
Source
Economics and global warming potential of a commercial-scale delignifying biorefinery based on co-solvent enhanced lignocellulosic fractionation to produce alcohols, sustainable aviation fuels, and co-products from biomass, Energy & Environmental Science, 2024-02-07
Boˆreal 