The primary catalytic processes involved with first generation feedstocks include: - Fermentation: The conversion of sugar-rich crops like corn and sugarcane into bioethanol using microbial catalysts. - Transesterification: The process of converting vegetable oils (e.g., soybean oil) into biodiesel using chemical catalysts, typically alkali or acid catalysts. - Hydrogenation: The saturation of organic compounds using hydrogen in the presence of metal catalysts, often used to improve the quality of biofuels.
