Barriers to commercial deployment of biorefineries: A multi-faceted review of obstacles across the innovation chain

Abstract

Realizing integrated biorefineries producing multiple fuels, chemicals and materials from sustainable biomass feedstocks holds promise for transitioning industries onto low-carbon trajectories. However, widespread commercial implementation remains elusive despite two decades of technological advancements. This review synthesizes current literature to provide a comprehensive analysis of key multi-dimensional barriers inhibiting the scale-up of biorefineries. The review discusses the technical challenges around biomass conversion processes. Economic viability concerns such as high capital costs and lack of market competitiveness are also assessed. The review also evaluates the regulatory and policy complexities that poses risks and uncertainties in the scaling up of biorefineries. Socio-political acceptance hurdles including community engagement and public perception are also reviewed. The interconnected nature of these challenges is emphasized and strategies are recommended to enable full potential realization, covering areas such as enhanced stakeholder collaboration, advanced process intensification, supportive policy frameworks, innovative financing models and strategic marketing initiatives. International pilots and cross-sectoral knowledge exchange are highlighted as priority enablers. In conclusion, this review synthesizes insights from extensive demonstration efforts to identify priorities and pathways for accelerating the global commercial transition towards sustainable biorefinery implementation. It aims to inform strategic decision-making and collaborative actions amongst stakeholders in research, industry and policy domains.

Keywords

• Biorefinery
• Sustainability transitions
• Technology commercialization
• Bioeconomy
• Bioenergy
• Innovation barriers