The Biobased Economy

Biofuels, Materials and Chemicals in the Post-oil Era
1. Auflage 2012
ISBN: 978-0-415-63132-7
Verlag: Routledge

Buch, Englisch, 416 Seiten, Format (B × H): 156 mm x 234 mm, Gewicht: 629 g

The impending threats of catastrophic climate change and peak oil are driving our society towards increased use of biomass for energy, chemical compounds and other materials – the beginnings of a biobased economy. As alternative development models for the biobased economy emerge, we need to determine potential applications, their perspectives and possible impacts as well as policies that can steer technological and market development in such a way that our objectives are met. Currently, it is still far from clear what will be the most sustainable routes to follow, which technologies should be included, and how their development will affect, and be affected by, research, public opinion and policy and market forces.

This groundbreaking work, edited by a group of leading researchers originally from Wageningen Agricultural University in the Netherlands, sets out to unpick the complex systems in play. It provides an illuminating framework for how policy and market players could and should drive the development of a biobased economy that is effective, sustainable, fair and cost efficient. Starting with a state-of-the-art overview of major biobased technologies, including biorefinery and technologies for the production of biofuels, biogas, biomass feedstocks for chemistry and bioplastics, it discusses how different actor groups interact through policy and markets. Information from case studies is used to demonstrate how the potential of the biobased economy in different parts of the world, such as North America, Europe, and emerging economies like China and Brazil can be realised using research, debate, policy and commercial development. The result is an essential resource for all those working in or concerned with biobased industries, their policy or research.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Langeveld, Hans

Sanders, Johan

Meeusen, Marieke

Fachgebiete

• Technische Wissenschaften Energietechnik | Elektrotechnik Biogasanlagen, Energie aus Biomasse
• Technische Wissenschaften Energietechnik | Elektrotechnik Alternative und erneuerbare Energien
• Technische Wissenschaften Technik Allgemein Nachhaltigkeit, Grüne Technologien
• Wirtschaftswissenschaften Wirtschaftssektoren & Branchen Energie- & Versorgungswirtschaft Energiewirtschaft: Alternative & Erneuerbare Energien

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Part 1: Towards Sustainability 1. General Introduction 2. Transition Towards a Biobased Economy 3. Challenges for Sustainable Development 4. Principles of Plant Production 5. Plant Breeding and its Role in a Biobased Economy 6. Biomass Availability Part 2: Biomass Refining and Conversion 7. Biorefineries: Giving Value to Sustainable Biomass Use 8. Plant Production of Chemical Building Blocks 9. The Production of Chemicals in a Biobased Economy 10. Advanced Biofuels from Lignocellulosic Biomass 11. Biogas Part 3: Actor Involvement 12. Policy Making for the Biobased Economy 13. Biobased Industrialization in Developing Countries 14. Biobased Production Chains 15. Biofuel Policies, Production, Trade and Land Use 16. Public Debate on Sustainability of Biofuels Part 4: Transition in Action 17. Biodiesel from Brazil 18. Biobased Products and Bioenergy in Germany 19. Development of the Biobased Economy in Canada: An Overview 20. A Biobased Economy for the Netherlands 21. Synthesis

Über Autor(innen)

Hans Langeveld is Director of Biomass Research, a research and consulting firm focussing on the development and evaluation of biobased and bioenergy production. He has a background in applied agronomic and economic research and combines a pragmatic approach with a clear analytical view. The main focus of his work is feedstock availability and sustainability (GHG emissions and land use change), market analysis and production development of biobased and decentral bioenergy production chains. Formerly, he was Senior Researcher at Plant Research International, Wageningen University and Research Centre, and Researcher at the Centre for World Food Studies of the Free University Amsterdam, both in the Netherlands. He has been project leader of a number of large bioenergy projects and is (co-)author of over 50 scientific papers as well as books on the biobased economy and on dynamics of European farming systems.

Johan Sanders is Professor of Valorisation of Plant Production Chains at Wageningen University, and Research Leader in the Department of Agrotechnology and Food Sciences, both at Wageningen University and Research Centre. He has held several research and management positions at leading agro-chemical industries in the Netherlands where he developed a unique vision on the application of biorefinery technologies and development of a biobased economy for the Netherlands.

Marieke Meeusen is Senior Researcher in Sustainable Agricultural Chains in the Agricultural Economics Research Institute, Wageningen University and Research Centre, where she is Deputy Head of the Markets and Networks section, and leading a research programme on biobased economy. She is author of several studies on bioenergy and biobased economy.