**Preface XI**



Chapter 8 **Glycoside Hydrolases in Plant Cell Wall Proteomes: Predicting Functions That Could Be Relevant for Improving Biomass Transformation Processes 165** Maria Juliana Calderan-Rodrigues, Juliana Guimarães Fonseca, Hélène San Clemente, Carlos Alberto Labate and Elisabeth Jamet

Preface

research.

rent status and the future implications of biofuels.

tentially higher conversion efficiency and low-pollutant generation.

The worldwide consumption of fossil fuel continues to increase at unsustainable levels, which will lead to progressive scarcity, if immediate and innovative measures are not taken for its sustainable use. This scarcity necessitates the development of renewable and sustainable alter‐ natives for fossil fuels. A possible solution to today's energy challenges can be provided by biofuels. This book intends to provide the reader with a comprehensive overview of the cur‐

Over the years, it has been observed that grain-based ethanol production is not environmen‐ tally sustainable. This led to the exploitation of lignocellulosic biomass from perennial grasses as well as microalgae for biofuel production. Perennial grasses can be grown on marginal lands, while microalgae have no requirement for land and can be easily cultivated in wastewa‐ ters. The need for better biomass source and recycling of waste has also led to the utilization of non-edible oils from conversion to biofuel. Initiation of waste-to-energy programs, which uti‐ lize anaerobic digestion to convert industrial and residential waste into biofuel, is another ex‐ ample of recycling to create energy and will also be helpful in creating the job opportunities, elevating the environmental merits, and preventing the monoculture of fuel resources. Recent‐ ly, biohydrogen and biohythane seem to be promising future energy carriers due to their po‐

However, in order to make biofuels a feasible alternative to satisfy market demand, strategic improvements in the areas of supply chain management need to be made. Handling and feeding of materials represent a substantial challenge in biomass feedstock supply systems and have been a primary factor causing pioneer industrial biorefineries to struggle to achieve their pro‐ duction targets. There is also a need to develop effective, responsive and responsible safety standard and to assess the risks such as biohazard, fires and potentially explosive atmospheres for biorefineries. This will improve public trust in the new biofuel generation plants. There is also a need to emphasize on the importance of developing models that are crucial to the design and performance of combustion engines and cover multicomponent fuel atomization, heating and evaporation modeling, which will improve engine sustainability and reduce emissions. Such aptly and comprehensive information covered in this book will directly enhance both basic and applied research in biofuels and will particularly be useful for students, scientists, breeders, growers, ecologists, industrialists and policy makers. It will be a valuable reference point to improve biofuels in the areas of ecologically and economically sustainable bioenergy

**Dr. Madhugiri Nageswara-Rao**

New Mexico State University, USA

Department of Biology

Department of Entomology Plant Pathology and Weed Science New Mexico State University, USA

**Dr. Jaya R. Soneji**

