Introduction to Bioproducts
PDF Version (6.7MB) Table of ContentsDefinitionsBioproducts
are products made with some component of biological or renewable materials (1).
The "bio" in "bioproducts" relates to inputs derived from
biological sources, including agriculture (e.g., crops and crop residues, dried
distillers grains) and/or food processing (byproducts, residues and off-specification
materials). Forestry is another potential source of biological materials but will
not be discussed in this factsheet. There is no universally accepted definition of "bioeconomy," however, it can basically be described as an economy based on the sustainable manufacture of products, in whole or in part, from renewable resources. It includes all processes, from feedstock production through the processing stage(s) to the manufacture of end products, in addition to research, development and commercialization processes. Typically, bioproducts are divided into three categories: bioenergy
biomaterials
biochemicals
Why Bioproducts?
The emerging bioeconomy offers the potential to contribute significantly to the overall economies of both Ontario and Canada. The manufacture of bio-based products provides the opportunity to benefit all participants in the value chain, offering farmers and food processors additional markets for commodities and byproducts. In particular, primary producers may realize increased economic gains from bio-based materials derived from products that they generate, many of which have been considered "waste" materials in the past. Farmers may be able to further benefit from the bioeconomy through participation or ownership positions in various components of the value chain. Bioproducts development can offer economic, environmental and health benefits.
Some Benefits of Bioproducts
Socioeconomic Benefits
Environmental Benefits
Health Benefits
Categories of BioproductsBioenergyBioenergy is produced in liquid, solid
or gaseous forms when biomass is treated, using different physical, biochemical,
thermochemical and other processes. EthanolEthanol and biodiesel
are the two most common biofuels often blended with petroleum-based gasoline or
diesel, respectively, for use as transportation or heating fuels. Currently, corn
and wheat grains are the two main feedstocks for ethanol production in North America,
with corn being the main feedstock for ethanol produced via a biochemical fermentation
process. As of 2009, approximately 685 million L of ethanol are produced annually in Ontario. Common gasoline-ethanol blends include 5%-10% ethanol designated as E-5 and E-10. An E-85 blend can be used in Flex Fuel Vehicles (FFV). The Ontario government has mandated a 5% ethanol blend in gasoline as of January 1, 2007 (2, 3).
Figure 1. Canola oil for biodiesel. New technologies to produce ethanol directly from cellulose or syngas (a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen) are being evaluated. Currently, the cost of producing cellulosic or thermochemical syngas ethanol is high, compared to production from grain. Several companies in Canada, and globally, are actively researching these technologies in an effort to optimize reaction conditions for hydrolyzing cellulose into fermentable sugars, reducing overall production costs and maximizing ethanol yields. There is great interest in these technologies because of their flexibility to use a wide variety of biomass feedstocks. BiodieselBiodiesel is commonly produced by the chemical conversion of vegetable oils, fats and greases by a process called transesterfication. Soybean and canola (Figure 1) are examples of oilseed crops that can be used in biodiesel production. Processing residues such as recycled vegetable oils from restaurants and fats from animal rendering can also be processed into biodiesel. Microalgae are photosynthetic aquatic plants that produce and accumulate significant amounts of oil that can be used for the production of biodiesel. Research is ongoing to scale up algae production to an industrial level (4). As of 2009, over 70 million L of biodiesel are being produced annually in Ontario. In Canada, the federal government is proposing mandating a 2% renewable content in diesel fuel and heating oil by 2012. There is potential for greater industrial and small-scale, on-farm production of biodiesel.
Figure 2. Anaerobic digester. Bio-Oil or Pyrolysis OilBio-oil is produced
by a pyrolysis process that involves the rapid thermal decomposition of organic
materials such as wood and agricultural biomass, in the absence of oxygen (5).
The quality of the bio-oil is dependent upon the type of biomass used. High-quality bio-oil has low water content and can be substituted for diesel, heavy fuel oil, light fuel oil or natural gas as a combustible fuel. In addition, certain bio-oils contain high value chemicals that have industrial or medical applications. Several companies in Ontario are working on fast pyrolysis technology to convert biomass to bio-oil. BiogasAnaerobic digestion
is a process in which organic materials such as manure, agricultural crop residues,
dedicated energy crops and food processing residues are digested by bacteria,
in the absence of oxygen, to generate biogas. BioheatBiomass
crops (switchgrass, miscanthus), agricultural crop residues, forestry and a wide
range of organic materials can be combusted directly or densified into chips,
cubes, briquettes, pucks and pellets (Figure 3), for direct
combustion to produce heat and power. A switchgrass enterprise budget is available
on the OMAFRA website at www.ontario.ca/agbusiness.
(Click on Farm Business Decision Calculators, then Budgeting Tools - Crop and
Livestock). In general, biomass pellets are used for residential buildings, commercial buildings or greenhouse heating. Because of fluctuations in natural gas and oil prices, some growers in the greenhouse industry are looking for alternative energy sources such as biomass combustion systems as a way of reducing energy costs. Biomass combustion generates heat and produces carbon dioxide, which is being explored for use in the greenhouse to enhance plant growth. The OMAFRA Factsheet Use of Biomass for Heating Greenhouses in Ontario - Rules and Best Management Practices, Order No. 08-015w (web only), is also available on the OMAFRA website at www.ontario.ca/crops. The potentially high biomass yields of dedicated energy crops such as switchgrass and miscanthus, have led some growers to investigate these opportunities in Ontario.
Figure 3. Biomass pellets. BiomaterialsBiocomposites and BiofibresBiofibres
are renewable, biodegradable fibres produced from wood, agricultural crop residues
and purpose-grown crops such as hemp (Figure 4), flax and
kenaf. Industrial hemp is a regulated crop in Canada and requires a licence for
production. More information on industrial hemp licensing and regulations is available
on the Health Canada website, www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hc-ps/substancontrol/ Biofibres are now used
in the production of structural components (e.g., stairs, decking, doors and shelves),
and for the construction and furniture industries and can be used in the manufacture
of high-quality paper and textiles (6). BioplasticsBioplastics are polymers produced from starch crops (e.g., corn, potatoes, wheat) and vegetable oils (e.g., canola or soybeans), rather than petroleum feedstocks. For example, corn starch can be biochemically processed to lactic acid, which is then chemically converted to polylactic acid for use in the production of bioplastics (6).
Figure 4. Hemp for biofibres. Bioplastics are biodegradable and are being adopted for a number of applications in the packaging, cutlery, gardening and pharmaceutical industries. Pricing of plastics is directly tied to crude oil cost, further increasing interest in the production of bioplastics. BiochemicalsIndustrialA
number of industrial chemicals traditionally produced from petroleum can be produced
from plant sources. Vegetable oils from corn, soybean and canola can also be used
as feedstocks for the manufacture of chemicals such as solvents, lubricants (Figure
5), waxes and adhesives. BiopharmaceuticalsBiopharmaceuticals are plant-derived compounds,
such as vaccines, antibiotics and drugs, that have medicinal value. Plants can
be modified genetically to produce a range of valuable biopharmaceutical compounds
and industrial enzymes. The production of medically active compounds in plants
could greatly reduce production costs, making them more widely available to the
public. For example, there are commercial efforts in Canada to produce insulin
from safflower for the treatment of diabetes (6). If successful,
this could substantially reduce the cost of insulin, especially for people in
developing countries.
Figure 5. Biolubricants from soybean oil CosmeticsA number of items such as body creams, soaps, vegetable oil-based lotions and herbal extracts can be manufactured from plant-based materials. Vegetable oils, starches, proteins and their derivates can be used as primary raw materials for the manufacture of a number of personal care products that are part of daily life, including deodorants, shampoos, skin care products, make-up, sunscreens, beauty and personal hygiene products. The annual markets for cosmetics and personal care products in Canada is around $5.4 billion (8), and there is an increasing market demand for products made from natural sources, particularly as replacements for those currently made from petroleum-based sources.
References
For more information: Toll Free: 1-877-424-1300 Local: (519) 826-4047 E-mail: ag.info.omafra@ontario.ca |
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