Chapter 2: The Changing Landscape: A History and Evolution of Bio-based Products

The use of biomass to produce commodity chemicals continues to grow. End uses such as automobile manufacturing, housing, consumer goods including textiles, and infrastructure are driving the production of chemical intermediates and commodity chemicals from renewable resources. Producing basic chemicals from biomass is not a new concept and interest has waxed and waned over the past century. Driven by changing international priorities and improvements in chemistry and biology, the potential to employ biomass or other renewable resources such as natural oils and even carbon dioxide is more promising than ever before. A brief history of the rationale and use of these materials and what the future holds is provided in this chapter. Considerations regarding the environmental impact of renewable and regenerable resources cannot be dismissed in light of our more heightened ecological awareness and this aspect of biobased products is discussed briefly.