Lignocellulosic Crops as Sustainable Raw Materials for Bioenergy

Developing bioenergy projects determine several challenges for industries engaged in replacing fossil sources of energy. Feedstock availability and sustainability issues have been major aspects for private companies, the farming sector and policy makers. While biofuel debates emerged and sustainability criteria became the focus of attention new alternative technology options and novel lignocellulosic species and cropping systems gained increasing interest. Several organizations have been promoting second generation crops and have promoted sustainable farming methods that may reduce the feedstock footprint. These species are propsed to meet sustainability criteria and deliver suitable biomass products for a number of commercially mature technologies such as combustion, gasification, anaerobic digestion or even second-generation biofuels. This chapter reviews several lignocellulosic bioenergy cropping systems (annual and perennial systems with herbaceous and woody species) with sound evidence and a commercially mature readiness level. A discussion on the perspectives for biobased industries has been included in order to suggest those systems with more interest while considering sustainability aspects and suitability of the raw materials for end users.