Abstract
Due to the escalating global demand for energy,
diminishing petroleum reserves, and the concern over
rising CO2 emissions, new non-food plant sources are
needed for production of renewable chemicals and fuels.
Willow (Salix sp.) represents such currently
under-utilised biomass source that has a high potential
to serve as a raw material for fractions with higher
value than the baseline energy value. In addition, willow
is fast growing and able to grow on lands not optimal for
forest or agricultural use (e.g. lands with low
productivity and peatlands after peat harvesting) and it
can efficiently bind nutrients from runoff or waste
water.
Willow has been comprehensively studied as an energy
crop, but the high contents of water and bark in willow
biomass have been considered to be challenges for
combined heat and power production. Willow wood fibres
are short and therefore not favourable for pulp
production. Thus, new biorefinery concepts need to be
developed for the more efficient and economically
feasible use of willow biomass. In the project conducted
as a cooperation of VTT and Aalto, the valorisation of
willow wood resulted in lignocellulosic sugars for
production of green chemicals as well as a lignin residue
that could be depolymerized for the production of
aromatics needed in chemical industry. This concept would
benefit forest owners by more efficient use of land,
biofuel producers by giving a novel source of
lignocellulosic sugar and chemical manufacturers by
serving a sustainable source of green aromatics.
The suitability of willow wood for sugar platform was
characterised both with bark and as debarked. The
microstructure and enzymatic hydrolysability of
pre-treated willow wood were analysed and evaluated. In
addition, structural features of willow lignin were
characterised before and after steam pretreatment to
evaluate its potential as biobased aromatic raw material.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | Proceedings |
Subtitle of host publication | The 10th Johan Gullichsen Colloquium 2015 |
Publisher | Forest Products Engineers |
Pages | 51-55 |
Publication status | Published - 2015 |
MoE publication type | D3 Professional conference proceedings |
Event | 10th Biennial Johan Gullichsen Colloquium 2015 - Helsinki, Finland Duration: 19 Nov 2015 → 19 Nov 2015 |
Conference
Conference | 10th Biennial Johan Gullichsen Colloquium 2015 |
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Country | Finland |
City | Helsinki |
Period | 19/11/15 → 19/11/15 |
Keywords
- willow
- lignin
- hydrolysis
- fermentation