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Potentiality of Hydrocarbon Yielding Plants for Future Energy and Chemicals

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Desert Plants

Abstract

The development of alternative sources for energy and chemicals, particularly the use of plant biomass as a renewable source for fuel or chemical feedstock, has received much recent attention. While efforts are ongoing to find and use substitute forms of energy, the heavy dependence of most societies in the world on petroleum lends importance to the continuing supply of hydrocarbon on a self sustaining and renewable basis. This chapter attempts to review research carried out by various workers in different parts of the world on plant materials as sources of energy and chemical feedstock, and the possibilities of producing hydrocarbon and related chemical products directly or indirectly from such material. The potential of plant resources in this area might help to achieve energy autarky and reduce reliance on other sources. The chapter also introduces the exploratory work carried out at North East Institute of Science and Technology, Jorhat, and discusses some future directions that need to be considered to promote the development of petrocrops.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cellulose, Pulp & Paper Division, North East Institute of Science and Technology (CSIR), Jorhat, 785006, Assam, India

    Dipul Kalita

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  1. Dipul Kalita
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  1. Botany Dept., M.L. Sukhadia University, Udaipur, 313002, India

    K.G. Ramawat

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Kalita, D. (2010). Potentiality of Hydrocarbon Yielding Plants for Future Energy and Chemicals. In: Ramawat, K. (eds) Desert Plants. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-02550-1_2

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