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  • Essay / The Future of Plant Biomass - 571

    The continued depletion of fossil fuel resources and their increasing demand have changed the outlook from old fuel resources to new resources, especially original biomasses plant. Plant biomass is a promising feedstock for fuel production to meet the fuel needs of the modern era. Nowadays, biofuels can be divided into first and second generation based on the type of biomass used. Biofuels derived from sugars, oils, grains, sugarcane and starch are classified as first generation fuels, while the use of lignocellulosic biomass like soft and hard wood, agricultural waste , straw and corn stalks provide second generation fuels [1].NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory), the United States reported that in 2010, approximately 5 billion gallons/year of ethanol were produced from food grains and that a production of 8 billion gallons/year of ethanol is expected in 2015 thanks to the use of lignocellulosic biomass. The main constituents of biomass containing sugar polymers are cellulose and hemicelluloses, while lignin forms a protective shell against various pollutants....