Technical suitability mapping of feedstocks for biological hydrogen production

The objective of this work was to map and compare the technical suitability of different raw materials for biological hydrogen production. Our model was based on hydrogen yield potential, sugar mobilization efficiency, fermentability and coproduct yield and value. The suitability of the studied raw materials was ranked in the order: sugar beet juice > sweet sorghum juice > potato steam peels > barley straw > miscanthus > sweet sorghum bagasse > carrot press cake > wheat grains > wheat straw > wheat bran. The results indicated that raw materials with similar chemical composition may have different technical suitability for hydrogen production. Therefore, further research on the specific technical characteristics, including pretreatment requirements, of each raw material is recommended.