Plant Biotechnology for Sustainable Production of Energy and Co-products

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xvii

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2. Introduction to Biofuels

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 1-1

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   2. Introduction Overview: World Energy Resources and the Need for Biomass for Energy and Lower Fossil Carbon Dioxide Emissions

      • Charles E. Wyman

      Pages 3-23

   3. Designing Biomass Crops with Improved Calorific Content and Attributes for Burning: a UK Perspective

      • Gordon G. Allison, Mark P. Robbins, José Carli, John C. Clifton-Brown, Iain S. Donnison

      Pages 25-55

   4. Designing Plants To Meet Feedstock Needs

      • Peter N. Mascia, Michael Portereiko, Mark Sorrells, Richard B. Flavell

      Pages 57-84

3. Specific Biofuel Feedstocks

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 85-85

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   2. Engineering Advantages, Challenges and Status of Sugarcane and other Sugar-Based Biomass Resources

      • Ricardo A. Dante, Plinio T. Cristofoletti, Isabel R. Gerhardt

      Pages 87-109

   3. High Fermentable Corn Hybrids for the Dry-Grind Corn Ethanol Industry

      • Joel E. Ream, Ping Feng, Iñigo Ibarra, Susan A. MacIsaac, Beena A. Neelam, Erik D. Sall

      Pages 111-123

   4. Engineering Advantages, Challenges and Status of Grass Energy Crops

      • David I. Bransby, Damian J. Allen, Neal Gutterson, Gregory Ikonen, Edward Richard Jr, William Rooney et al.

      Pages 125-154

   5. Woody Biomass and Purpose-Grown Trees as Feedstocks for Renewable Energy

      • Maud A. W. Hinchee, Lauren N. Mullinax, William H. Rottmann

      Pages 155-208

   6. Engineering Status, Challenges and Advantages of Oil Crops

      • Richard F. Wilson, David F. Hildebrand

      Pages 209-259

4. Mitigating Invasiveness

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 261-261

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   2. Invasive Species Biology, Ecology, Management and Risk Assessment: Evaluating and Mitigating the Invasion Risk of Biofuel Crops

      • Jacob N. Barney, Joseph M. DiTomaso

      Pages 263-284

   3. Gene Flow in Genetically Engineered Perennial Grasses: Lessons for Modification of Dedicated Bioenergy Crops

      • Albert P. Kausch, Joel Hague, Melvin Oliver, Lidia S. Watrud, Carol Mallory-Smith, Virgil Meier et al.

      Pages 285-297

   4. Genetic Modification in Dedicated Bioenergy Crops and Strategies for Gene Confinement

      • Albert P. Kausch, Joel Hague, Melvin Oliver, Yi Li, Henry Daniell, Peter Mascia et al.

      Pages 299-315

5. Models for Uses of Biomass Feedstocks

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 317-317

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   2. Integrated Biorefineries—A Bottom-Up Approach to Biomass Fractionation

      • Birgit Kamm

      Pages 319-343

   3. Heat and Power Production from Stover for Corn Ethanol Plants

      • Shahab Sokhansanj, Sudhagar Mani, Cannayen Igathinathane, Sam Tagore

      Pages 345-362

6. Agricultural Fit of Biomass Crops and Lifecycle Analysis and Criteria

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 363-363

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   2. The Problem is the Solution: the Role of Biofuels in the Transition to a Regenerative Agriculture

      • Daniel G. De La Torre Ugarte, Chad C. Hellwinckel

      Pages 365-384

This book is a collection of chapters concerning the use of biomass for the sustainable production of energy and chemicals–an important goal that will help decrease the production of greenhouse gases to help mitigate global warming, provide energy security in the face of dwindling petroleum reserves, improve balance of payment problems and spur local economic development. Clearly there are ways to save energy that need to be encouraged more. These include more use of energy sources such as, among others, manure in anaerobic digesters, waste wood in forests as fuel or feedstock for cellulosic ethanol, and conservation reserve program (CRP) land crops that are presently unused in the US. The use of biofuels is not new; Rudolf Diesel used peanut oil as fuel in the ?rst engines he developed (Chap. 8), and ethanol was used in the early 1900s in the US as automobile fuel [Songstad et al. (2009) Historical perspective of biofuels: learning from the past to rediscover the future. In Vitro Cell Dev Biol Plant 45:189–192). Brazil now produces enough sugar cane ethanol to make up about 50% of its transportation fuel needs (Chap. 4). The next big thing will be cellulosic ethanol. At present, there is also the use of Miscanthus x giganteous as fuel for power plants in the UK (Chap. 2), bagasse (sugar cane waste) to power sugar cane mills (Chap. 4), and waste wood and sawdust to power sawmills (Chap. 7).

• Biofuels
• Economic Development
• Sustainability
• bioenergy
• biofuel
• biotechnology
• genetic modification

From the reviews:

“Conversion of biomass to ethanol, diesel substitutes, and other biofuels is the only option for significantly reducing dependence on petroleum for the liquid fuels that are essential to air travel, heavy-duty trucking, and long-distance travel. Here, the editors have compiled expert contributions and perspectives on a wide range of topics. … The contributors are invariably realistic and sober about the challenges and achievements possible. … Summing Up: Recommended. Students of all levels, researchers/faculty, and professionals/practitioners.” (W. Loescher, Choice, Vol. 48 (8), April, 2011)

• Ceres, Inc., Thousand Oaks, USA

  Peter N. Mascia

• ZMAW, Institute for Geography, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany

  Jürgen Scheffran

• Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, USA

  Jack M. Widholm

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