Comprising 11 chapters, the first of which is an introduction, this slim but expensive volume provides an authoritative overview on biofuel production somewhat different from the excellent Wikipedia article on biofuels. In pointing out that the technical potential of biogenic wastes and residues worldwide is around 80 exajoules, and that utilization of lignocellulosic feedstocks offer environmental and economic benefits, the editors justify the rationale for investments in biofuel science and technology. The 25 contributors collectively encompass key aspects of biofuel production in the following 10 chapters.

Chapter 2 describes emerging technologies in the production of ethanol and valuable byproducts. Chapter 3 deals with butanol production from inexpensive lignocellulosic feedstocks. Chapter 4 focuses on practical aspects of anaerobic digestion of slurries and solid wastes to produce methane. In Chapter 5, the major bottleneck in biomass conversion to biofuels, namely deconstruction of the plant cell wall to liberate glucose for fermentation, is addressed in a superb article by reviewing the roles of cellulases, other glycosidic hydrolases and cellulosomes (multienzyme complexes). In Chapter 6, glycerol, a waste byproduct of biodiesel, oleo-chemical and bioethanol production, is shown to be capable of being processed by fermentation into fuel and reduced chemicals using microorganisms such as Escherichia coli.

Chapters 7, 8 and 9 concentrate on the practicalities of farm-to-factory supplies of lignocellulosic feedstocks, converting existing dry-mill ethanol operations to create biorefineries and the economics of agricultural residues for processing. Hydrothermal liquefaction to convert biomass into crude oil and detoxification of lignocellulose hydrolysates are the topics of the final two chapters.