Nature offers abundant renewable resources that can be used to partially replace fossil fuels and commodity chemicals but issues of cost, technology readiness levels, and compatibility with existing distribution networks remain huge challenges. Cellulosic ethanol and biodiesel are the most immediately obvious target fuels, with hydrogen, methane and butanol as other potentially viable products. This book continues to bridge the technology gap and focus on critical aspects of lignocellulosic biomolecules and the respective mechanisms regulating their bioconversion to liquid fuels into energy and value-added products of industrial significance. This book is a collection of reviews elucidating several broad-ranging areas of progress and challenges in the utilization of sustainable resources of renewable energy, especially in biofuels. This book comes just at a time when government and industries are accelerating their efforts in the exploration of alternative energy resources, with expectations of the establishment of long-term sustainable alternatives to petroleum-based liquid fuels. Apart from liquid fuel this book also emphasizes the use of sustainable resources for value-added products, which may help in revitalizing the biotechnology industry at a broader scale. This book also provides a comprehensive review of basic literature and advance research methodologies to graduate students studying environmental microbiology, chemical engineering, bio-economy and microbial biotechnology.
Om V. Singh is a Senior Scientific Consultant at the Technology Science Group (TSG) in Washington, DC, USA. Prior to joining the TSG, he served at the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH), where he advised companies on anticipated regulatory pathways when seeking approval and registration for their human health products.
Om holds a BSc and MSc in biological sciences, and a PhD in microbial biotechnology with an emphasis on exploring microbial wealth for value added products of commercial significance. While completing his postdoctoral studies at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, he also obtained a second Master’s degree (MS) in regulatory affairs in life sciences from Johns Hopkins University. He has been an Associate Professor of Microbiology at the University of Pittsburgh, Bradford. Om’s research has centered on exploring the wealth of extremophiles in the medicine and bioenergy sector. He haspublished numerous peer-reviewed research articles and book chapters, and has edited a number of books and special issues of peer-reviewed research journals.
Currently, at the TSG Om is employing his deep understanding of regulatory affairs and hands-on experience in microbiology research to guide companies regarding the standards and overall system requirements needed to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of their medical devices.
Dr. Anuj K. Chandel is a USP-CAPES Visiting Researcher and Professor of Industrial Biotechnology at the Engineering School of Lorena, University of Sao Paulo (USP), Brazil. Before joining USP-Lorena, Dr. Chandel worked as a Lead Scientist at the Sugarcane Technology Centre (CTC)-Piracicaba, Brazil, where he was responsible for the deployment of cellulosic ethanol processes at demonstration plants and scale-up activities. He has 17 years of research experience working in industries and universities on industrial enzymeproduction, biomass valorization, biofuel production and membrane-based separations. He has published 55 articles in peer-reviewed journals and 28 book chapters. He has also co-edited seven books on Xylitol Production, Sustainable Degradation of Lignocellulosic Biomass, Brazilian Biofuels Development, Indian Biofuels Development, Extremophiles, Sugarcane Biorefineries and Enzymatic Resources of Renewable Energy.
His contributions span the biomass science, biotechnology, and policy domains, and include the sustainable development of biofuels and renewable chemicals using biorefinery concepts. He is also a frequently invited presenter on the technical and strategic aspects of biomass energy and biochemicals, in prominent forums and at international conferences.
