Biofuels

Abstract

Increasing pressure to move towards energy sustainability and reduce society's dependence on fossil fuels has led to much research and development in the area of biofuels. First-generation biofuel production (e.g., ethanol from corn) is a mature technology, but competition with food crops raises questions about sustainability. Second-generation biofuels are produced from waste biomass and thus are perceived as more viable, but technology is not ready for large-scale implementation particularly due to the hydrolysis challenge. The third generation of biofuels captures sunlight directly as fuels or fuel precursors via photosynthesis. Prokaryotic organisms play a crucial role in the majority of..