A closer look at advanced biofuels

The first generations of biofuels relied mainly on agricultural crops rich in sugars or oils – maize, rapeseed, sunflowers, etc. – which compete with food production.

In recent years, new generations of biofuels have been developed to utilise non-food resources:

• agricultural and forestry residues (wheat straw, maize stalks, wood chips, etc.);
• used oils and fats;
• micro-organisms, including certain microalgae.

But simply changing the feedstock is not enough: the challenge today is to improve yields in order to reduce production costs and scale up to industrial levels.

This is precisely one of the key objectives of the Optisfuel project, supported by the PEPR Bioproductions programme.

Its aim: to increase biorefinery yields by combining biocatalysis and chemical catalysis, in order to make better use of biomass, particularly lignin.

Lignocellulosic biomass, such as straw or wood, consists of various fractions, including cellulose and lignin. Cellulose, in particular, can be converted into sugars and then fermented to produce bioethanol. Lignin, on the other hand, is more difficult to utilise due to its complex structure.

The Optisfuel project therefore aims to improve the yields of the fermentation stages, to utilise residual CO₂ to increase carbon efficiency, and to develop new ways of utilising lignin, in order to make better use of the biomass as a whole.

Ultimately, these innovations will help to accelerate the decarbonisation of transport and reduce our energy dependence.

The Optisfuel project is led by a consortium comprising: CEA, CNRS, IFP Energies nouvelles, INRAE, Claude Bernard Lyon 1 University and INSA Toulouse.

Discover the key points of the project in pictures: