Potential uses of halophytes for biofuel production: opportunities and challenges

Abstract The global energy demand is increasing dramatically and an increase of 50% over the present time (2020) is expected by 2050 (U.S. Energy Information Administration, EIA). In the past few decades, a major fraction of energy demand (81.4%) is met with fossil-based fuels (petroleum, natural gas, and coal). If this trend continues, the world’s overall fossil fuel stores will be depleted in less than 45 years. Unlike fossil fuels, biofuels are sustainable because they are generated by carbon in the atmosphere and renewable in nature. Traditionally, biofuels (bioethanol, biodiesel, biojet oil, etc.) have been obtained using food crops/glycophytic crops (sugarcane, corn, wheat, sweet potato, sugar beet, etc.). However, these food crops/glycophytic crops are the primary source of human food in many regions of the world. Besides, these crops cannot be grown in challenging geographical conditions such as arid and salty soils. Halophytes have great potential in restoration of degraded saline locations as well as coastal stabilization. In addition, several halophytes are sources of nonconventional cash-crop and production of cheap lignocellulosic biomass for biofuel production. In this chapter, a vision using halophyte plants as a potential source of lignocellulosic biomass for alternative biofuel production has been summarized. The economic and environmental aspects that are related to biofuel production from different halophytic plants with focus on the biomass composition and the technology employed have been emphasized.