Abstract: Increasing global energy consumption, coupled with limited availability of natural resources, economic factors, and climate change, is driving the development and implementation of alternative and renewable energy sources to replace fossil fuels, which currently account for approximately 85% of the world’s energy demand. In particular, the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass to renewable biofuels and bioproducts is attractive because biomass is abundantly available and naturally replenishing, and it can be converted into various biofuels and bioproducts. Compared with petroleum-based products, manufacturing of biofuels and bioproducts is cost-prohibitive with separations accounting for up to 80% of total processing costs. This talk will discuss progress related to four critical challenges in biochemical and thermochemical processing. Techno-economic analysis and life-cycle assessment are applied to understand the key drivers related to the economic feasibility and environmental impacts, respectively.