Bioethanol is a versatile transportation fuel and fuel additive that offers excellent performance and reduced air pollution compared to conventional fuels. Its production and use adds little, if any, net release of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, dramatically reducing the potential for global climate change.

Through a sustained research program and an emerging economic competitiveness, the technology for bioethanol production is poised for immediate widespread commercial applications.

Written by engineers and scientists providing a technical focus, this handbook serves as a unique, authoritative, and concise source of information on:

• The benefits of bioethanol to the environment and economy
• Bioethanol conversion technologies
• Future markets and ethanol's value in those markets
• Emerging commercialization opportunities for bioethanol technologies

This book provides the up-to-date information needed by managers, engineers, and scientists to evaluate the technology, market, and economics of this fuel, while examining the development of production required to support its commercial use.

Table of Contents:

• Ethanol production from lignocellulosic biomass: overview
• Strategic, economic, and environmental issues for transportation fuels
• Performance of ethanol as a transportation fuel
  Bioethanol market forces
• Environmental impacts of bioethanol
• Biomass feedstock resources and composition
• Hemicellulases: diversity and applications
• Cellulases: structure, function, and applications
• Biocatalyst development for bioethanol production from hydrolysates
• Pretreatment of biomass
• Cellulase production
• Cellulose bioconversion technology
• Hemicellulose conversion to ethanol
• Advanced process options for bioethanol production
• Ethanol from corn: technology and economics
• Integrated bioprocess development for bioethanol production
• Review of pilot plant programs for bioethanol conversion
• Methods for the chemical analysis of biomass process streams