Biorefinery strategy for production of bioethanol and high value biomolecules from agricultural waste materials

占世界能源总需求50-80%以上的常规能源（煤、天然气、石油）正在迅速枯竭，能源成本不断上升。利用生物基原料生产生物乙醇可以满足能源需求的激增，并在加拿大的气候变化战略中发挥重要作用。为了降低温室气体排放，汽车行业产生的温室气体排放量占所有温室气体排放量的25%以上，保证使用至少10%的乙醇混合物（E10）。更新后的国家生物质乙醇计划设定了一个目标，即到2010年将加拿大的乙醇生产能力增加7.5亿升（目前能力的三倍），使加拿大汽油供应总量的25%含有10%的乙醇（E10）。然而，现有的技术是低效的，并且基质供应（粮食作物的使用）是不可持续的，因为基质的成本占总生物乙醇生产成本的70-80%。据联合国粮食及农业组织（粮农组织）最近报告，目前的生物乙醇生产系统与粮食供应竞争，降低了粮食安全，提高了世界范围内的粮食价格。到2050年，粮食需求将翻一番，气候变化将导致农业生产力下降，并限制粮食资源。因此，利用低成本的替代原料和筛选有效的裂解酶和乙醇生产微生物是需要充分解决的重要关键。该项目的长期目标是制定一项生物精炼战略，从水果和马铃薯加工废料中生产生物乙醇和高价值分子。这项工作包括确定废物流的特征，开发预处理、水解、提取、发酵和分离技术。该项目将有助于加拿大的社会经济发展，提高生物乙醇工业的经济效益，并加速碳固存。将在生物能源和生物技术领域培训高素质人员（研究生和本科生）。

Conventional energy resources (coal, natural gas, oil) which account for more than 50-80% of total world energy demand are rapidly depleting and the cost of energy is increasing. Utilization of bio-based raw materials for the production of bioethanol can meet the surge in energy demand and play a major role in Canada's climate change strategy. In order to lower GHG emissions, the automotive industry, which produces >25% of all greenhouse gas emissions, warrants the use of at least 10% ethanol blends (E10). The Renewed National Biomass Ethanol Program has set a target to increase Canada's ethanol production capacity by 750 million litres (triple of current capacity) enabling as much as 25% of Canada's total gasoline supply to contain 10% ethanol (E10) by 2010. However, the existing technology is inefficient and substrate supply (use of the food crops) is not sustainable as the cost of substrate accounts for 70-80% of the total bioethanol production cost. Current bioethanol production systems are in competition with food supply and have reduced food security and raised food prices worldwide as reported recently by the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO). Demand for food will double by 2050 and climate change will cause reduction in agricultural productivity and limit food resources. Thus, utilization of low cost alternative raw materials and screening for efficient lytic enzymes and ethanol producer microorganisms are important keystones that need to be adequately addressed. The long term objective of this project is to develop a biorefinery strategy for the production of bioethanol and high value molecules from fruit and potato processing wastes. The work consists of characterizing the waste streams, developing pre-treatment, hydrolysis, extraction, fermentation and separation techniques. The project will contribute to the socio-economic development of Canada, enhance the economics of bioethanol industry and accelerate carbon sequestration. Highly qualified personnel (graduate and undergraduate students) will be trained in the fields of bioenergy and biotechnology.