Biorefinarias, bio-óleo e sociedade

um levantamento bibliográfico

Abstract

Current society might undergo a crisis due to increased consumption. Along with this increase in consumption, utilization also rises, as well as the search for energy resources. A large part of the energy resources used today comes from fossil sources, i.e., non-renewable sources of energy, especially oil and coal. Therefore, to decrease the consumption of these finite sources, renewable energy sources are regarded as a solution. Biomass is one of the options among the various renewable energy sources and it is the main candidate to supply in a sustainable way the use of hydrocarbons both as a source of energy and a source of raw material for the chemical industry. The use of biomass, as well as other renewable sources, still has many challenges. For example, biomass has low density, which hinders its transportation and, consequently, its use. One way to overcome this obstacle is to densify biomass. The densification of this material can be made thermochemically, producing a compound called bio-oil. Bio-oil could be produced in small units in the field and then be sent to a large central unit called a biorefinery. Bio-oil can thus become an intermediary to the concept of biorefineries. These units would, then, produce part of the chemical raw materials and fuels for society. But for these changes to occur, political measures must be adopted. At COP 21, held in Paris in 2015, a step was taken in this direction. Thus, this study makes a brief literature review of the consequences that the use of bio-oil as an intermediary in biorefineries can bring both socially and technologicaly, as well as to relate possible political impacts resulting from the use of biomass as a steady source of renewable energy.