From biodiesel and bioethanol to liquid hydrocarbon fuels: new hydrotreating and advanced microbial technologies

Biodiesel and bioethanol, produced by simple and well-known transesterification and fermentation technologies, dominate the current biofuel market. However, their implementation in the hydrocarbon-based transport infrastructure faces serious energy-density and compatibility issues. The transformation of biomass into liquid hydrocarbons chemically identical to those currently used in our vehicles can help to overcome these issues eliminating the need to accommodate new fuels and facilitating a smooth transition toward a low carbon transportation system. These strong incentives are favoring the onset of new technologies such as hydrotreating and advanced microbial synthesis which are designed to produce gasoline, diesel and jet fuels from classical biomass feedstocks such as vegetable oils and sugars. The present Perspective paper intends to provide a state-of-the-art overview of these promising routes.