Paul Thompson, Maria Garcia, Hiroshi Yamamoto
Second-generation biofuels derived from lignocellulosic biomass offer a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels without competing with food production. This study evaluates novel pretreatment strategies and enzymatic hydrolysis approaches for efficient conversion of agricultural residues into fermentable sugars. We demonstrate that combined thermochemical and biological pretreatment significantly improves cellulose accessibility and reduces enzyme loading requirements. Economic analysis indicates that optimized processes can achieve cost-competitive bioethanol production at commercial scale.