Olefins from Biomass Intermediates: A Review

Over the last decade, increasing demand for olefins and their valuable products has prompted research on novel processes and technologies for their selective production. As olefins are predominately dependent on fossil resources, their production is limited by the finite reserves and the associated economic and environmental concerns. The need for alternative routes for olefin production is imperative in order to meet the exceedingly high demand, worldwide. Biomass is considered a promising alternative feedstock that can be converted into the valuable olefins, among other chemicals and fuels. Through processes such as fermentation, gasification, cracking and deoxygenation, biomass derivatives can be effectively converted into C2–C4 olefins. This short review focuses on the conversion of biomass-derived oxygenates into the most valuable olefins, e.g., ethylene, propylene, and butadiene.