• Biomass Valorisation
    Approaches

Celignis Analytical is currently focused on analysing biomass samples for properties relevant for: production of heat and energy via thermal processing; production of biogas through anaerobic digestion; and conversion to biofuels and chemicals. The conversion of biomass to chemicals/fuels can be termed "biorefining", since it is analagous to oil refining in that different products are obtained from the different chemical constituents of the biomass.

Biofuels can be classified as "first-generation" and "second-generation" according to the type of biomass they are made from. First generation biofuels are produced from food/oil-based plants and wastes. For example, first generation ethanol is produced from the starch present in crops such as wheat or from the sucrose present in crops such as sugarbeet and sugarcane. First generation biodiesel is produced from plants/wastes containing fats/oils, e.g. rapeseed oil.

Second-generation biofuels are produced from the conversion of lignocellulosic materials, biomass that predominately contains cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin (see here for a more detailed description of lignocellulose chemistry).



Click here for more detailed information about the different types of technologies that can be used for producing second generation biofuels and here for information on the Celignis analysis packages that can be used to determine the important compositional parameters for these. Click here to read more about our services for the anaerobic digestion sector.



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