Biorefinery Technologies: Global Markets

Report Highlights

The global market for biorefinery technologies reached $342.8 billion in 2012. This market is expected to grow to $387.8 billion in 2013 and $700.7 billion in 2018 with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.6% for the five-year period, 2013 to 2018.

Report Includes

• A complete techno-economic and environmental analysis of industrial biorefineries, which have been identified as the most promising route to the creation of a domestic bio-based industry
• Analyses of global market trends, with data from 2011 and 2012, estimates for 2013, and projections of compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) for the five year period, 2013 to 2018
• Coverage of all biomass fractionation and conversion technologies
• Forecasts for biomass conversion processes and equipment to produce fuels, power, and chemicals from biomass
• Identification of feedstocks, chemical products, and transportation fuels
• Evaluations of the prospects for biorefineries built on different "platforms," such as the "sugar platform," based on fermentation of sugars extracted from biomass feedstocks, versus the "syngas platform," based on thermochemical conversion processes
• Detailed patent analysis and a research-and-development update
• Comprehensive company profiles of major players in the industry.

Report Scope

The report starts with an overview that provides a background to the industry and quantifies the biorefinery conversion technologies and reports on market trends. It also indicates the importance of the industry and the ways in which biorefinery technologies fit into the global economy. It also quantifies staffing and salary, professions, carriers, occupations, new product development and market penetration.

The next section assesses biorefinery technology economics and their impact on investments and the development of rural economies.

The next section quantifies the demand for physico-chemical technology platforms, including processes (e.g., pressing, pre-treatment, milling, separation, distillation) that do not change the chemical structure of the biomass components, but perform a size reduction or a separation of feedstock components and chemical processes (e.g., hydrolysis, transesterification, hydrogenation, oxidation, pulping) in which a chemical change in the substrate occurs.

The next section quantifies the industrial biotechnology platform, including industrial microbiological processes such as anaerobic digestion, anaerobic fermentation, enzymatic conversion that occur under mild operating conditions (e.g., lower temperature and pressure) using microorganisms or enzymes.

The next section quantifies the thermochemical technology platform, including pyrolysis; gasification, hydrothermal upgrading and combustion, including processes in which feedstock undergoes extreme conditions (e.g., high temperature and/or pressure, with or without a catalytic means).

The next section presents the technology development of advanced biorefinery technologies.

The next section presents the process developments and includes an evaluation of major patents.

The next section describes the biorefinery technology industry structure. It considers a number of influencing factors, including macro factors that affect the global economy and the agricultural economy in particular, and industry-specific factors such as the public acceptance of biorefinery products. Consideration has also been given to the development of the industry over the period since 2010 and the forces that have led to its ongoing restructuring. It also assesses the rise of biobased companies; outsourcing; adding value through improved formulations, drop-ins’ and additives; and the streamlining of product portfolios.

The next section discusses the international perspective and geographical diversification.

The next section analyzes the future of the regulation and legislation as it affects the biorefinery industry.

The next section presents company shares.

Major companies involved in the biorefinery industry are then profiled, along with details of their activities and their contact information.

Analyst Credentials

Edward Gobina is a Full U.K. Professor of Chemical and Processing Engineering with 32 years of research and teaching experience in environmental engineering, petrochemical reaction engineering, and catalysis and membrane technology. His scientific achievements are archived in more than 150 articles and spread in more than 20 granted patents, more than 30 patent applications, and more than 100 invited and guest speaker presentations, as well as contributed presentations and prestigious refereed scientific journals, newsletters, proceedings and reviews. He has been a project analyst for BCC Research since 1998 and has authored more than 22 BCC Research reports. His reports have provided the critical links in the entire chemical and energy infrastructure chain occasioned from hydrogen to advanced oil and gas exploitation, sensors and monitoring, and LNG infrastructure. Professor Gobina is a member of the European Membrane Society (EMS), the North American Membrane Society (NAMS) and the New York Academy of Sciences (NYAS). He is the current director of the Centre for Process Integration and Membrane Technology (CPIMT) within the School of Engineering at the Robert Gordon University in the U.K.