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Bioenergy and Waste-to-Energy Technologies to Reach Climate Neutrality
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Bioenergy and Waste-to-Energy Technologies to Reach Climate Neutrality

A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "A4: Bio-Energy".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 August 2024 | Viewed by 3323

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Federico Viganò

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Energy, Politecnico di Milano, Via Lambruschini 4, 20156 Milano, Italy
Interests: waste-to-energy; bioenergy; carbon capture; BECCS; waste management; energy conversion systems
Dr. Manuele Gatti

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Energy, Politecnico di Milano, Via Lambruschini 4, 20156 Milano, Italy
Interests: carbon capture; biogas upgrading; high temperature heat pumps; organic working fluids
Dr. Maurizio Spinelli

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
LEAP Scarl (Laboratory for Energy and the Environment-Piacenza), Via Nino Bixio 27C, 29121 Piacenza, Italy
Interests: carbon capture; energy conversion systems; high temperature fuel cells

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The fight against climate change has come to a turning point. The EU efforts to reach climate neutrality by 2050 encompass not only the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, but also the removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Among the proposed actions, bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) is the most relevant for the energy sector. Bioenergy, as well as waste-to-energy (WtE), already plays a relevant role in limiting GHG emissions under a “life cycle” perspective. In fact, the produced/recovered energy saves on consumption of conventional energy sources and the associated GHG emissions. Furthermore, with the introduction of carbon capture technologies, net negative emission levels may be reached, providing an essential contribution to achieving the “net zero” target.

Several ongoing projects concerning carbon capture in WtE are exploring the potentials and implications of different capture technologies, as well as investigating innovative techniques. Biogas upgrading to bio-methane, or even to green hydrogen, although mostly on limited scale, already includes carbon dioxide removal. Biomass-fired power plants can find in the generation of “carbon credits” a way for supporting carbon capture costs, while qualifying for green electricity subsidies. Many aspects of this picture are still unclear and need deep investigation.

This Special Issue aims at investigating such unclear aspects, with analysis of novel solutions, as well as review papers with state-of-the-art findings that can deliver a significant contribution in assessing the potentials and implications of BECCS technologies. Even though the Special Issue is open to all contributions related to bioenergy, waste-to-energy, and their impact on climate change, potential focus areas are summarized as the following:

  • Carbon capture techniques applicable to bioenergy and waste-to-energy systems;
  • Assessments of GHG impacts also through life cycle assessment (LCA);
  • Comparative analysis of different options, also entailing economic implications;
  • Technologies applicable to specific streams (e.g., residual biomass, food waste, sewage sludge, sanitary waste);
  • Gasification and pyrolysis associated with pre-combustion carbon capture techniques;
  • Oxygen based thermal processes (e.g., oxy-combustion, chemical looping);
  • Upgrading and conversion of biogas;

Prof. Dr. Federico Viganò
Dr. Manuele Gatti
Dr. Maurizio Spinelli
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Energies is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • bioenergy
  • waste-to-energy (WtE)
  • energy-from-waste (EfW)
  • bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS)
  • carbon capture
  • negative emissions
  • climate neutrality

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

26 pages, 12365 KiB  
Article
Enhanced Torrefied Oil-Palm Biomass as an Alternative Bio-Circular Solid Fuel: Innovative Modeling of Optimal Conditions and Ecoefficiency Analysis
by Attaso Khamwichit, Jannisa Kasawapat, Narongsak Seekao and Wipawee Dechapanya
Energies 2024, 17(9), 2192; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17092192 - 2 May 2024
Viewed by 465
Abstract
Energy production from coal combustion is responsible for nearly 40% of global CO2 emissions including SOx and NOx. This study aims to produce solid biomass fuels from oil-palm residues by torrefaction, having a high heating value (HHV) equivalent to [...] Read more.
Energy production from coal combustion is responsible for nearly 40% of global CO2 emissions including SOx and NOx. This study aims to produce solid biomass fuels from oil-palm residues by torrefaction, having a high heating value (HHV) equivalent to fossil coals. The experiments were designed using Design Expert version 13 software to optimize the conditions affecting the fuel characteristics of the torrefied products. The statistical analysis suggested that the optimal conditions to achieve a high HHV and fixed carbon content while retaining the mass yield of biomass mainly depended on the temperature and torrefying time, while the size played a less important role in affecting the properties. The optimal conditions were observed to be at 283 °C (120 min) for EFBs, 301 °C (111 min) for PF, and 285 °C (120 min) for PKSs. The maximum HHV of 5229, 5969, and 5265 kcal/kg were achieved for the torrefied EFBs, PF, and PKSs, respectively. The energy efficiency of torrefied biomass was increased to 1.25–1.35. Ecoefficiency analysis suggested that torrefaction should be carried out at high temperatures with a short torrefying time. This low-cost bio-circular torrefied biomass showed promising fuel characteristics that could be potentially used as an alternative to coals. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioenergy and Waste-to-Energy Technologies to Reach Climate Neutrality)
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18 pages, 580 KiB  
Article
Proposal of Multicriteria Decision-Making Models for Biogas Production
by Daniela M. Yamaji, Saulo F. Amâncio-Vieira, Reginaldo Fidelis and Eduardo A. do R. Contani
Energies 2024, 17(4), 806; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17040806 - 8 Feb 2024
Viewed by 1056
Abstract
While biogas production offers promising solutions for waste management, energy diversification, and sustainable development, effective project implementation requires comprehensive evaluation criteria that encompass diverse aspects, such as the problem to be addressed, biodigester technology selection, business model development, investment considerations, and final product [...] Read more.
While biogas production offers promising solutions for waste management, energy diversification, and sustainable development, effective project implementation requires comprehensive evaluation criteria that encompass diverse aspects, such as the problem to be addressed, biodigester technology selection, business model development, investment considerations, and final product utilization. A preliminary study involving an integrative review of 58 articles yielded 499 unique criteria. These criteria were categorized into four groups: economic, environmental, social, and technical, encompassing a total of 39 subcriteria. Six stages of the biogas production cycle were considered in the analysis: project, initiation, biodigester type selection, location determination, operational cycle definition, and final product utilization. The analysis revealed that existing decision-making models often prioritize technical and economic considerations while neglecting broader social and environmental perspectives. This paper addresses this gap by proposing, for the first time, stage-specific, multicriteria decision-making (MDCA) models tailored to each phase of a biogas production cycle. These models empower project managers and policymakers to optimize resource allocation, minimize the environmental impact, maximize social benefits, and ensure project viability and profitability. The models’ adaptability allows for tailored prioritization based on specific project requirements and contexts. This groundbreaking research fills a critical void in biogas decision making by bridging the gap between existing technical and economic model limitations and the growing need for truly sustainable project development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioenergy and Waste-to-Energy Technologies to Reach Climate Neutrality)
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19 pages, 2614 KiB  
Article
Towards a Bioeconomy: Supplying Forest Residues for the Australian Market
by Leanda C. Garvie, David J. Lee and Biljana Kulišić
Energies 2024, 17(2), 397; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17020397 - 12 Jan 2024
Viewed by 824
Abstract
Australia has abundant volumes of forest residues that are a potential feedstock for supplying biomass as a renewable carbon carrier to the market. However, there remains an underutilization of this resource, even in mature bioeconomy markets. Several existing or perceived barriers can be [...] Read more.
Australia has abundant volumes of forest residues that are a potential feedstock for supplying biomass as a renewable carbon carrier to the market. However, there remains an underutilization of this resource, even in mature bioeconomy markets. Several existing or perceived barriers can be attributed to the underdeveloped, forest-based bioeconomy in Australia. One of these is the limited understanding of feedstock supply costs. In this study, two ranking approaches were applied to identify the optimal biomass feedstock supply chain from field to conversion plant gate. A panel of experts embedded in the Australian bioeconomy were employed to first assign ranks to biomass supply chain items by cost intensity. Then, a layer of analytic hierarchical process (AHP) was used to weigh and rank various biomass supply pathways by efficiency. The results reveal that biomass extraction ranks the highest and biomass feedstock storage ranks the lowest, relative to other supply chain costs. Extracting and chipping material in the field attracted the most support from the experts in terms of efficiency, followed by transporting and chipping at the roadside and, finally, transporting and chipping at the conversion plant. This study provides insights for designers of the forest-based bioeconomy in Australia into relative cost drivers that may be applied to investment and industry decisions. It also provides a framework to support further investigations into forest biomass development and the management of biomass as a renewable carbon carrier at a time when Australia is transitioning from an energy policy focused on fossil fuels to a renewable energy strategy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioenergy and Waste-to-Energy Technologies to Reach Climate Neutrality)
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15 pages, 2534 KiB  
Article
Advancing Energy Recovery from Sugarcane Leaf via Two-Stage Anaerobic Digestion for Hydrogen and Methane Production: Impacts on Greenhouse Gas Mitigation and Sustainable Energy Production
by Prawat Sukphun, Chaweewan Ponuansri, Worapong Wongarmat, Sureewan Sittijunda, Kanathip Promnuan and Alissara Reungsang
Energies 2023, 16(23), 7861; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16237861 - 30 Nov 2023
Viewed by 681
Abstract
This study aims to enhance energy recovery from sugarcane leaf (SCL) through two-stage anaerobic digestion (TSAD) for hydrogen and methane production. The influence of hydraulic retention time (HRT) on this process was investigated. Optimal conditions established through batch experiments (5% total solids (TS) [...] Read more.
This study aims to enhance energy recovery from sugarcane leaf (SCL) through two-stage anaerobic digestion (TSAD) for hydrogen and methane production. The influence of hydraulic retention time (HRT) on this process was investigated. Optimal conditions established through batch experiments (5% total solids (TS) (w/v) and rice straw compost inoculum) were applied in semi-continuous stirred tank reactors (CSTR-H2 and CSTR-CH4). Remarkably, the highest production rates were achieved with HRTs of 5 days for CSTR-H2 (60.1 mL-H2/L·d) and 25 days for CSTR-CH4 (238.6 mL-CH4/L·d). Microbiological analysis by 16s rRNA sequencing identified Bacillus as predominant in CSTR-H2 followed by Lactobacillus and Clostridium. Utilizing SCL for TSAD could reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2.88 Mt-CO2 eq/year, compared to open-field burning, and mitigate emissions from fossil-fuel-based power plants by 228 kt-CO2 eq/year. This research underscores the potential of TSAD for efficient energy recovery and significant GHG emission reductions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioenergy and Waste-to-Energy Technologies to Reach Climate Neutrality)
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