Zero Emissions and Bio-refineries for Natural Fibres, Biomaterials and Energy: Genesis of Concepts. Review

Depletion of world recourses, increasing pollution, and climate change make us to shift from linear economy to system economy—an economy of technologies integrated to reach a system of non-polluting zero emissions production. Transition to renewable resources requires replacing the present crude oil refinery by biomass refinery. Along with conventional biomass refinery technologies bioengineering and nano-technologies become significant players in systems designed as clusters of integrated bio-refinery technologies. The authors consider a number of case studies of biomass conversion into value-added chemicals and sources of energy, the steam explosion auto-hydrolysis (SEA) in particular. Research of wood and non-wood (hemp, etc.) fibres demonstrates feasibility, for example, of value added textiles, self-binding bio-composite boards, heat insulating micro- and nano-materials. Serious breakthroughs require revision of the structures of fundamental natural macromolecules, particularly the complexity, scaling and fractality of lignin.