Identification and Categorization of Existing and Emerging Biorefinery Pathways

Biorefineries producing biobased chemical and material products are expected to be an important part of the biobased economy, as well as essential for the transition to a circular economy. A biorefinery classification system has been developed using the IEA Bioenergy Task 42 classification as basis to provide a standardized communication about biorefineries on the basis of four major elements: feedstocks, conversion processes, platforms and products. Based on this classification system, eleven umbrella biorefinery pathways have been identified (A-K). The platform(s) that arise from primary refining were used in distinguishing them. Each of these umbrella biorefinery pathways encompasses the different process variations of this pathway. The process variants show development of the pathways towards generation of multiple valuable products for multiple markets also considering higher-value valorization options of residues. This study can be used to help make decisions and take actions to accelerate biorefinery deployment in transitioning towards a circular biobased economy.