biorefinery
Plant-to-fuel facility
A biorefinery is a facility that converts biological materials—crops, agricultural waste, algae—into fuels, chemicals, and other products, analogous to how a petroleum refinery processes crude oil.
The concept emphasizes using renewable biomass rather than fossil fuels: The biorefinery produces ethanol from corn stover.
Biorefineries aim to extract maximum value from organic feedstocks, often generating multiple outputs from a single source.
Drinkable volatile spirit
- biogasFuel from anaerobic decomposition
- bioethanolFuel from fermented plants
- bioplasticsPlant-derived synthetic materials
- biochemicalsCompounds produced by organisms
biochar · methanol · butanol · lactic acid · biopolymers · aviation fuel · bioproducts · organic acids
Water-induced bond cleavage
- fermentationMicrobial sugar conversion
- pyrolysisHeat-driven molecular breakdown
- gasificationConverting carbon materials to vapor
- catalysisAccelerating reactions without consumption
enzymatic · liquefaction · pretreatment · thermochemical · fractionation · distillation · separation · extraction
Plant wall polysaccharide
- ligninStructural plant polymer
- sugarcaneSucrose-yielding tropical grass
- switchgrassNative prairie grass species
- algaePrimitive aquatic photosynthesizers
wood chips · bagasse · straw · organic waste · feedstock · municipal waste · food waste · oils
Capable of restoration
- circular economyRegenerative resource management model
- carbon-neutralNet-zero emissions state
- greenColor of vegetation
- zero-wasteNo garbage produced
low-carbon · sustainable · decarbonization · resource-efficient · environmental · clean · bio-based · carbon capture
Reaction-speeding proteins
- microorganismsMicroscopic living entities
- yeastFermenting fungus
- bacteriaNucleus-free single-celled organisms
- fermentationMicrobial sugar conversion
genetic engineering · microbial · biomolecules · proteins · metabolites · amino acids · cultivation · inoculation
Simultaneous heat and electricity production
- heatTransferred thermal energy
- electricityEnergy from charged particles
- thermalPertaining to warmth
- gridFramework of intersecting lines
generation · renewable energy · steam · power generation · energy recovery · efficiency
Botanical organism
- industrialOf factories and production
- productionMaking or generating something
- millGrain-crushing facility
- processingSystematic operation on data
installation · infrastructure · complex · site · demonstration · integrated · co-located · manufacturing
ethanol
Drinkable volatile spirit
- biogasFuel from anaerobic decomposition
- bioethanolFuel from fermented plants
- bioplasticsPlant-derived synthetic materials
biochemicals · biochar · methanol · butanol · lactic acid · biopolymers · aviation fuel · bioproducts · organic acids
hydrolysis
Water-induced bond cleavage
- fermentationMicrobial sugar conversion
- pyrolysisHeat-driven molecular breakdown
- gasificationConverting carbon materials to vapor
catalysis · enzymatic · liquefaction · pretreatment · thermochemical · fractionation · distillation · separation · extraction · depolymerization
cellulose
Plant wall polysaccharide
- ligninStructural plant polymer
- sugarcaneSucrose-yielding tropical grass
- switchgrassNative prairie grass species
algae · wood chips · bagasse · straw · organic waste · feedstock · municipal waste · food waste · oils · fats
renewable
Capable of restoration
- circular economyRegenerative resource management model
- carbon-neutralNet-zero emissions state
- greenColor of vegetation
zero-waste · low-carbon · sustainable · decarbonization · resource-efficient · environmental · clean · bio-based · carbon capture · lifecycle
enzymes
Reaction-speeding proteins
- microorganismsMicroscopic living entities
- yeastFermenting fungus
- bacteriaNucleus-free single-celled organisms
fermentation · genetic engineering · microbial · biomolecules · proteins · metabolites · amino acids · cultivation · inoculation · synthetic biology
cogeneration
Simultaneous heat and electricity production
- heatTransferred thermal energy
- electricityEnergy from charged particles
- thermalPertaining to warmth
grid · generation · renewable energy · steam · power generation · energy recovery · efficiency
plant
Botanical organism
- industrialOf factories and production
- productionMaking or generating something
- millGrain-crushing facility
processing · installation · infrastructure · complex · site · demonstration · integrated · co-located · manufacturing · operations
biorefinerypolluting
Introducing harmful contaminants
nonrenewable · unsustainable · fossil fuel industry · carbon-intensive · dirty industry
refined, refine, refining, refinement, biological, refinery, biomass, biofuel, biofuels