Environmental Biorefinery and Cascading Use of Biomass

This study examines the cascading use of lignocellulosic biomass within environmental biorefineries to enhance resource efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It outlines how sequential valorization steps prioritize high-value material applications before final energy recovery, aligning with circular economy objectives. The authors identify key obstacles including sustainable biomass supply, pretreatment and fractionation technologies, and a lack of integrated “matter and energy” approaches and sector coordination. They emphasize the need to establish cross-sector connections for byproduct and waste transfer, and call for targeted R&D on environmental and economic impacts. The cascade strategy could diversify revenue and maintain jobs in agri-food industries.