Preface to the 2nd Edition

This book is the update of the previous version from 2011, RSC Green Chemistry Series No. 9, Transportation Biofuels: Novel Pathways for the Production of Ethanol, Biogas and Biodiesel, based on biofuel research and development, and originating from the principle of “making better use of waste streams and resources”. Since 2011, the use of biofuels has been increasingly more accepted although still, a strong debate is going on about the perceived side effects of deforestation and inappropriate land use by the existing production pathways. In this light, the demand for alternative methods that use waste streams and nonfood resources like cellulose is increasing. The attempts to produce these so called second generation biofuels have still met a lot of setbacks so much has still to be done improving and optimizing the biological production pathways for transportation biofuels. At the point that man-made climate change has been accepted as a fact, it is time to provide information on what the state of the art is for existing biological production pathways and look ahead to the developments of new promising future pathways for new fossil CO₂ free fuels. This turning point, in addition to a world that is struggling with the change to a non- fossil based economy, has been the main driver for the authors to write this update and they hope that this book supports the reader in obtaining the personal and professional insights needed to contribute to the energy transition.

Alwin Hoogendoorn and Han van Kasteren

Eindhoven