BBSRC Centre For Sustainable Bioenergy (BSBEC): Programme 4: Lignocellulosic Conversion To Bioethanol (LACE)

英国生物能源和生物燃料的发展有三个主要驱动力：能源安全、气候变化和农村发展。发达国家和发展中国家对石油的需求都在上升，可再生能源是确保英国能源安全的关键。生物燃料是由植物材料生产的燃料，因此是可再生的，将有助于英国的能源安全。如果供应链的所有阶段都得到适当的评估和优化，生物燃料也有可能大幅减少排放。木质纤维(植物细胞壁)材料是一种宝贵的能源，可从生物质作物和农业残留物，如稻草和废弃谷物中获得。此外，这种材料可以从使用木材及其衍生产品的工业产生的废物中提取。利用木质纤维材料生产生物燃料的潜力需要利用生物、化学和物理过程来破坏植物细胞壁，以生产可发酵的原料。此外，开发的工艺必须限制有毒副产物(称为抑制剂)的形成，这些副产物降低了有效发酵的潜力。释放的原料的发酵需要开发适当的菌株，这些菌株可以利用构成细胞壁的一系列糖，同时耐受过程和产品衍生的压力。现在至关重要的是，英国应对有效利用木质纤维素原料生产生物燃料的挑战。为了满足这一需求，我们将确定从植物细胞壁材料生产原料的方法，这些方法可以最大限度地释放糖，但限制抑制剂的形成。此外，我们将开发超级耐受性酵母菌株，它可以优化发酵一系列糖来形成生物燃料乙醇。为了实现这些目标，诺丁汉将通过招聘和培训新人才以及与多所大学、研究所和公司合作，建设英国在生物能源和生物燃料专业知识方面的能力。我们将与食品科学家、农业科学家和社会科学家密切合作，利用诺丁汉在发酵、微生物学和生化工程方面的世界级专业知识。诺丁汉大学在所有这些领域都拥有国际水平的研究人员，它将与巴斯大学、剑桥大学、邓迪大学、约克大学、纽卡斯尔大学和萨里大学以及非洲、欧洲、新西兰和美国的大学和研究所密切合作。我们还将与工业界密切合作。我们将专注于从木质纤维生物质中生产生物乙醇，包括剩余的秸秆、废弃的谷物和食品生产中产生的废物。用于这种转换的工艺将得到优化，以减少温室气体排放并最大限度地提高能源产出。这一过程产生的废料将通过查明潜在的副产品流加以利用，包括为建筑业生产材料和生产非液体燃料。我们建议：(1)增加英国在木质纤维消化和发酵方面的科学专长；(2)通过确定可以改进的健壮酵母菌株，使其能够利用木质纤维原料，发展技术的科学基础；(3)确保开发的工艺最大限度地提高能量输出，最大限度地减少温室气体排放；以及(4)为在工业中实施这些技术提供途径，同时积极与更广泛的全球社会交流我们的研究。

There are three main drivers for the development of bioenergy and biofuels in the UK: Energy Security, Climate Change and Rural Development. Demand for oil is rising both from developed and developing countries and renewable alternatives are critical to ensure UK energy-security. Biofuels are fuels that are produced from plant material and are therefore renewable and will contribute to UK energy security. Biofuels also have the potential to deliver significant reductions in emissions provided that all stages of the supply chain are properly assessed and optimised. Lignocellulosic (plant cell wall) material is a valuable source of energy that can be derived from biomass crops and agricultural residues such as straw and spent grains. In addition this material may be derived from waste produced by industries that utilise wood and its derivatives. Harnessing the potential of lignocellulosic materials for the production of biofuels requires the deconstruction of plant cell walls using biological, chemical and physical processes to produce a fermentable feedstock. Furthermore it is essential that the processes developed limit the formation of toxic by-products (known as inhibitors) that reduce the potential for efficient fermentation. The fermentation of the liberated feedstock requires the development of appropriate strains that can use the range of sugars that comprise the cell wall whilst tolerating the process and product derived stresses. It is now vital that the UK addresses the challenge of effectively using lignocellulosic feedstocks to generate biofuels. To address this need, we will identify methods of feedstock production from plant cell wall materials that maximise sugar release but limit inhibitor formation. Furthermore we will develop super-tolerant yeast strains that can optimally ferment a range of sugars to form the biofuel ethanol. To achieve these aims Nottingham will build UK capacity in bioenergy and biofuels expertise by recruiting and training new talent and collaborating with multiple universities, institutes and companies. We will harness Nottingham's world class expertise in Fermentation, Microbiology and Biochemical Engineering, in close collaboration with Food scientists, Agricultural scientists and Social scientists. The University of Nottingham, which has international level researchers in all of these areas, will work in close collaboration with the Universities of Bath, Cambridge, Dundee, York, Newcastle and Surrey and Universities and Institutes in Africa, Europe, New Zealand and the USA. We will also work closely with Industry. We will focus on the generation of bioethanol from the lignocellulosic biomass including excess straw, spent grains and waste generated from food production. The processes used for this conversion will be optimized to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and maximize energy output. Waste materials produced from the process will be harnessed by identification of potential co-products streams including the production of materials for the construction industry and to produce non-liquid fuels. We propose to: (1) increase the UK scientific expertise in lignocellulosic digestion and fermentation; (2) develop the scientific foundations of technologies by identifying robust yeast strains that can be improved to enable them to utilize lignocellulosic feedstocks (3) ensure that the processes developed maximise energy outputs and minimise greenhouse gas emissions; and (4) provide avenues for the implementation of these technologies in industry whilst actively communicating our research with the wider global community.