Introduction to Renewable Biomaterials

Chapter 1Fundamental Biochemical and Biotechnological Principles of Biomass Growth and Use

Manfred Kircher

KADIB-Kircher Advice in Bioeconomy Kurhessenstr, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

For the first time in history, we face the risk of a global decline. But we are also the first to enjoy the opportunity of learning quickly from developments in societies anywhere else in the world today, and from what has unfolded in societies at any time in the past.

Jared Diamond, [2005]

1.1 Learning Objectives

This chapter discusses about vegetable biomass and its future role as industrial feedstock to provide fuel and chemicals. In the transition phase from the current fossil-based into the bio-based economy, vegetable biomass needs to face up to competition against the fossil benchmark, which is at mineral oil. Therefore, this chapter starts with an analysis of the fossil economy, especially in the chemical sector.

In future, when fossil feedstock inevitably becomes scarce and the bio-economy increasingly unfolds, vegetable biomass must meet the industrial feedstock demand for a growing global population. While further serving the traditional food, feed, and fiber markets, this is no easy challenge. More sustainable carbon sources and applications are another topic of this chapter.

Turning the bio-economy into reality is more than a technical issue. From an abstract point of view, it needs scientific and technical push as well as market pull to make the bio-innovation leap. But first and ...