Diversification of co-products from a lignocellulosic process to improve commercial viability

Because the non-carbohydrate fraction of lignocellulosic feedstocks are significant, any commercially relevant renewable biofuels and chemicals process has to include a co-product strategy.  Failure to include value-added steps to co-product streams introduces inordinate pressure on the primary product value and hence severely limits or otherwise disadvantages renewable approaches to fuel and chemical production.  In this talk, we will discuss methods of access and valorization of several co-product streams from a lignocellulosic sugar to chemicals process, as well as technical and practical hurdles that must be cleared en route to an industrially relevant production process.  Focus of the talk will be on key co-products deriving from the ICM’s 2G lignocellulosic ethanol processes, including single cell protein, fertilizer and solid fuel.  Data generated during ICM’s DOE funded 1000 hour integrated runs in 2015 on energy sorghum and switchgrass will be presented.