First-generation ethanol production has exhibited stable compounded annual growth for the last two decades, exemplified by the tenfold growth in production and fourfold expansion of production plants in the US, and primarily prompted by a sharp increase in oil prices during the first decade. By the middle of that decade, the world turned its attention towards cellulosic biofuels, due to large-scale availability of low-cost and sustainable cellulosic biomass, and claims that the technology was ready for investment and large-scale commercial operation. Ten years later, commercial large-scale plants have been developed and investments into cellulosic ethanol production are actively evaluated, primarily driven by either voluntary or mandated targets of lower greenhouse gas emissions, as well as technology advancements in enzyme and fermentation technology, of which the latter is discussed in this article.
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