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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (23 June 2023) | Viewed by 25868

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Dr. Carmen Otilia Rusǎnescu

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Department of Biotechnical Systems, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 060042 Bucharest, Romania
Interests: waste management; environmental protection; environmental monitoring and evaluation in the context of climate change; biomass; biotechnology; renewable energy.
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Dr. Nicoleta Ungureanu

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Department of Biotechnical Systems, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 006042 Bucharest, Romania
Interests: sustainable development; waste management; biomass; biogas; bio-energy; wastewater treatment; wastewater reuse; soil degradation.
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Energy is essential for the generation of industrial and social well-being. However, the production of energy from non-renewable sources has many negative consequences on the environment: greenhouse gas emissions, polluting particle emissions, waste generation, oil spills that degrade soils and groundwater, etc. Thus, the production and consumption of non-renewable energy contributes significantly to the climate changes we are currently facing, damages natural ecosystems and the anthropogenic environment, and can have adverse effects on human health. At the global level, it is important to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, and ambitious objectives have been set and measures are already being taken in this regard.

Biomass contains stored chemical energy from the sun; it is an abundant, renewable and cheap resource. In addition, its adaptability to different environmental and growth conditions (agricultural lands, forest lands, marginal lands, natural watercourses, wastewater, and industrial facilities) is a remarkable feature. At the same time, biomass is an important source of food and raw materials for industry, and in order to respect the principles of sustainability, its use in these areas must also be balanced with its use for energy purposes.

Pretreated using appropriate methods and technologies, biomass can be converted into a wide range of biofuels for transport, bio-heat and bio-electricity. Currently, bioenergy is the fourth largest source of primary energy after oil, coal and natural gas. The ambitious Paris Agreement on climate change and the UN Sustainable Development Goals emphasize the energetic valorization of biomass, so the production and use of bioenergy is expected to increase in the near future.

Therefore, this Special Issue focuses on current biomass pretreatment methods and technologies for energy recovery, the current status and technologies for obtaining biofuels from biomass (including pellets, briquettes and tablets;
pyrolysis products; syngas; biogas; biodiesel; bioethanol; biohydrogen; and biochitan), the recovery of heat from compost piles, the modeling and optimization of the technologies for energy recovery from biomass, biorefineries, and best practice models in the field of bioeconomy with an emphasis on the energy recovery from biomass waste. Both original scientific contributions (case studies, experiments or systematic comparisons with existing approaches) and reviews describing recent progress made in these topics and related fields are welcome.

Dr. Carmen Otilia Rusǎnescu
Dr. Nicoleta Ungureanu
Guest Editors

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Keywords

residual biomass
agricultural residues
energy crops
biowaste
bioenergy potential
biofuels
biomass pretreatment technologies
biomass and biowaste valorization
conversion technologies
energy recovery
biorefinery
circular bioeconomy
biomass policies

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Related Special Issue

Biomass and Bio-Energy—2nd Edition in Energies (7 articles)

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 3272 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Biocatalyzed Transesterification of Waste Cooking Oil for Biodiesel Production Using Lipase from the Amazonian Fungus Endomelanconiopsis endophytica

by Juliana Gisele Corrêa Rodrigues, Fernanda Veras Cardoso, Celine Campos dos Santos, Rosiane Rodrigues Matias, Nélio Teixeira Machado, Sergio Duvoisin Junior and Patrícia Melchionna Albuquerque

Energies 2023, 16(19), 6937; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16196937 - 3 Oct 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1649

Abstract

The demand for biodiesel worldwide is skyrocketing as the need to replace fossil diesel with renewable energy sources becomes increasingly pressing. In this context, biocatalysis is emerging as an environmentally friendly and highly efficient alternative to chemical catalysis. When combined with the utilization of waste materials, it has the potential to make the process of biodiesel production sustainable. In the study, the potential of an extract rich in lipase produced by an Amazonian endophytic fungus as a biocatalyst in the transesterification of waste cooking oil for biodiesel production has been systematically investigated. The fungus Endomelanconiopsis endophytica exhibited an enzyme production of 11,262 U/mL after 120 h of cultivation. The lipolytic extract demonstrated its highest catalytic activity at 40 °C and a pH of 5.5. Using soybean oil and frying residue as raw materials, biodiesel was produced through biocatalytic transesterification, and yields of 91% and 89% (wt.), respectively, were achieved. By evaluating the process parameters, a maximum biodiesel yield of 90% was achieved using ethanol at a ratio of 3:1 ratio within 120 min. The experimental results demonstrate the feasibility and sustainability of applying a fungal enzymatic extract as a biocatalyst in the production of ethyl esters using waste cooking oil as a raw material. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomass and Bio-Energy)

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17 pages, 2425 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Cleaner Cooking with Charcoal in Kibera Informal Settlement in Nairobi, Kenya, and Its Implications for Livelihoods and the Environment

by Moses Kirimi, James K. Gitau, Ruth Mendum, Catherine Muthuri and Mary Njenga

Energies 2023, 16(19), 6808; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16196808 - 25 Sep 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1496

Abstract

Woodfuel that is unsustainably sourced and inefficiently used results in negative environmental and health impacts. This study assessed charcoal use and resultant concentrations of indoor air pollutants (IAP) in an urban informal settlement while cooking with a Jikokoa stove (an improved branded charcoal stove) and medium and small-sized artisanal Kenya Ceramic Jikos (KCJs). Fuel stacking was prevalent with charcoal and kerosene being used by 25% of the studied households. Cooking with a Jikokoa stove reduced charcoal consumption by 6.4% and 26% compared to small and medium-sized KCJs, respectively. The small-sized KCJ reduced charcoal consumption by 21% compared to the medium-sized KCJ. The Jikokoa stove reduced concentrations of carbon monoxide (CO) by 10% and 50% and fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) by 6% and 77% compared to small-sized and medium-sized KCJs, respectively. The Jikokoa stove reduced carbon dioxide (CO₂) concentrations by 15.6% compared to the medium-sized KCJ. The small-sized KCJ reduced CO and PM_2.5 concentrations by 45% and 75%, respectively, compared to the medium-sized KCJ. In summary, small-sized KCJs are more effective than medium-sized ones, and Jikokoa stoves more effective than small-sized KCJs, making it the stove of choice. The more efficient charcoal stoves are, the more charcoal consumption and IAP can be reduced, mitigating environmental degradation, climate change and health problems associated with smoke in the kitchen. There is need for participatory research to scale improved stoves and upgrade local practices as they are cheaper and already embedded in the cooking culture. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomass and Bio-Energy)

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20 pages, 3370 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Hydrogen-Free Deoxygenation of Oleic Acid and Industrial Vegetable Oil Waste on CuNiAl Catalysts for Biofuel Production

by Jose Sabino, Denisson O. Liborio, Santiago Arias, Juan F. Gonzalez, Celmy M. B. M. Barbosa, Florival R. Carvalho, Roger Frety, Ivoneide C. L. Barros and Jose Geraldo A. Pacheco

Energies 2023, 16(17), 6131; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16176131 - 23 Aug 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1538

Abstract

The pyrolysis of vegetable oil waste is an alternative way to convert biomass into high-quality second-generation biofuels, with social, economic and environmental sustainability. The present work deals with the pyrolysis of oleic acid as a model compound and an industrial vegetable oil residue on CuNiAl mixed oxide catalysts, derived from layered double hydroxides. Reactions of the oils pre-adsorbed on the catalysts (catalyst:oil mass ratio of 5:1) were performed at 550 °C on a micro-pyrolysis system and the analyses of volatile products were carried out online using GC/MS. Copper addition to NiAl catalysts increased the cracking of oleic acid. Increasing copper content also decreased the formation of aromatics and coke precursors, as well as oxygenated compounds. The CuNiAl catalyst with a Cu/Ni ratio of 0.4 showed strong catalytic activity in the conversion of an industrial vegetable oil residue with a high volume of free fatty acids produced. Compared to the non-catalytic reaction, the catalyst reduced the content of oxygenates and increased the content of hydrocarbons, particularly in the gasoline range (C5–C9). The CuNiAl oxide catalyst was able to convert vegetable oil residues into hydrocarbons in the range of gasoline, kerosene and diesel, and also linear alkylbenzenes as chemical precursors for surfactant production. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomass and Bio-Energy)

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19 pages, 2556 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Multi-Parametric Analysis Based on Physico-Chemical Characterization and Biochemical Methane Potential Estimation for the Selection of Industrial Wastes as Co-Substrates in Anaerobic Digestion

by Luz Marina Ruiz, María Fernández, Ana Genaro, Jaime Martín-Pascual and Montserrat Zamorano

Energies 2023, 16(14), 5444; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16145444 - 18 Jul 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1522

Abstract

Anaerobic digestion is considered as one of the most feasible waste-to-energy technologies for the valorization of organic wastes. It can be applied to many different substrates but the mono-digestion of a single substrate usually has some important drawbacks due to the physico-chemical characteristics of the substrate. A feasible solution is the simultaneous co-digestion of several substrates with different composition and characteristics, so that synergetic effects may be generated and physico-chemical characteristics may be compensated, thus reaching higher process efficiencies and biogas production rates. In this work, a multi-parametric analysis for the objective comparison of industrial wastes was developed in order to help with decision making about their suitability as a co-substrate in anaerobic co-digestion. Criteria considered for this analysis included sample composition, C/N ratios, theoretical biochemical methane potential (BMP), and other important issues such as production rates, seasonality, and the distance to the WWTP or pre-treatment requirements. Results showed that, among the 13 evaluated wastes, 2 of them showed a higher potential for being used in anaerobic co-digestion: 1. Fried corn from the snack food industry and 2. Wet fatty pomace from the olive oil industry. Both wastes showed high estimated BMP values, high lipid and carbohydrate content, and C/N ratios in a proper range to improve the low C/N ratio of sewage sludge. Other wastes such as olive pomace (dry), skinless corn (not fried), and grape pomace from the winery industry may also be used as co-substrates. As a conclusion, this procedure based on a selection matrix can be considered as a useful tool to help both producers and WWTP operators to make decisions about the potential applicability of specific industrial wastes as co-substrates in anaerobic co-digestion. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomass and Bio-Energy)

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11 pages, 1803 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Release Characteristics of Potassium during Biomass Combustion

by Feng Zhang, Xiuqin Hou, Xingchang Xue, Jiyun Ren, Lingxiao Dong, Xumeng Wei, Lin Jian and Lei Deng

Energies 2023, 16(10), 4107; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16104107 - 15 May 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1483

Abstract

To investigate the release characteristics of potassium during biomass combustion, experimental studies were conducted on three typical biomass fuels in a reactor with a fixed-bed system. The effects of fuel type, combustion temperature, exposure time, oxygen concentration, and water-washing pretreatment were evaluated. The results show that the K release ratio in corn straw increases with the increment in exposure time when the temperature is between 700 and 900 °C. When burned at 900 °C for 40 min, 17.73% of K is released in the volatile combustion stage, while only 2.62% is released in the char combustion stage. When burned at 700–900 °C, the K release ratios in both corn and wheat straw improve slightly with the elevation in oxygen concentration. Water washing significantly reduces the ratio and the amount of K release from corn straw during combustion. The effect of temperature and atmosphere on K release from the water-washed sample is similar to that for the raw sample. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomass and Bio-Energy)

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19 pages, 1696 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Economic and Environmental Benefits of Energy Recovery from Municipal Solid Waste in Phnom Penh Municipality, Cambodia

by Dek Vimean Pheakdey, Nguyen Van Quan and Tran Dang Xuan

Energies 2023, 16(7), 3234; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16073234 - 4 Apr 2023

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 4891

Abstract

This study assessed the energy potential, economic feasibility, and environmental performance of landfill gas (LFG) recovery, incineration, and anaerobic digestion (AD) technologies for Phnom Penh municipality in Cambodia, from 2023 to 2042. The economic analysis utilized the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE), payback period (PBP), and net present value (NPV) to evaluate the feasibility of each technology. Additionally, environmental performance was assessed following the IPCC 2006 guidelines. The results indicate that incineration produced the highest energy output, ranging from 793.13 to 1625.81 GWh/year, while the LFG and AD technologies yielded equivalent amounts of 115.44–271.81 GWh/year and 162.59–333.29 GWh/year, respectively. The economic analysis revealed an average LCOE of 0.070 USD/kWh for LFG, 0.053 USD/kWh for incineration, and 0.093 USD/kWh for AD. Incineration and LFG recovery were found to be economically feasible, with positive NPVs and a potential for profit within 8.36 years for incineration and 7.13 years for LFG. In contrast, AD technology had a negative NPV and required over 20 years to generate a return on investment. However, AD was the most promising technology regarding environmental performance, saving approximately 133,784 tCO₂-eq/year. This study provides valuable technical information for policymakers, development partners, and potential investors to use in order to optimize waste-to-energy investment in Cambodia. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomass and Bio-Energy)

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15 pages, 2268 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Statistical Optimization of Chemo Sonic Liquefaction in Macroalgae for Biohydrogen Generation—An Energy-Effective Approach

by Shabarish Shankaran, Tamilarasan Karuppiah, Rajesh Banu Jeyakumar and Godvin Sharmila Vincent

Energies 2023, 16(7), 3017; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16073017 - 25 Mar 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1383

Abstract

In this study, a combined pretreatment method of sonication and alkali (KOH) liquefaction (SAL) was used to increase the production of biohydrogen from macroalgae (Chaetomorpha antennina) in an energy-efficient manner. Sonication liquefaction (SL) was accomplished by varying the sonic intensities from 10% to 70% and the pretreatment time from 5 to 60 min. The ideal liquefaction conditions in SL were determined to be 50% for sonic intensity, and 30 min of pretreatment time which produces liquefied organics (LO) release of 2650 mg/L. By adjusting the pH of the alkali (KOH) from 8 to 12, SAL was carried out under SL optimal conditions. With a liquefaction efficiency of 24.61% and LO release of 3200 mg/L, pH 11 was the best for effective macroalgal liquefaction in SAL. SAL (4500 kJ/kg TS) consumed less ultrasonic specific energy (USE) than SL (9000 kJ/kg TS). More VFA was produced in SAL (2160 mg/L) than SL (1070 mg/L). Compared to SL (120 mL H₂/g COD/0.005 moles of H₂/g COD), SAL produced the most biohydrogen of 141 mL H₂/g COD/0.006 moles of H₂/g COD. The combined pretreatment (SAL) increases the LO release, which ultimately results in an additional 15% increment in biohydrogen production compared to the SL, along with 44.4% of energy savings. Overall, SAL was determined to be energy efficient in biohydrogen production. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomass and Bio-Energy)

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14 pages, 3531 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An Assessment of the Conversion of Biomass and Industrial Waste Products to Activated Carbon

by Eric N. Coker, Xavier Lujan-Flores, Burl Donaldson, Nadir Yilmaz and Alpaslan Atmanli

Energies 2023, 16(4), 1606; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16041606 - 6 Feb 2023

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 2285

Abstract

The production of biochar from biomass and industrial wastes provides both environmental and economic sustainability. An effective way to ensure the sustainability of biochar is to produce high value-added activated carbon. The desirable characteristic of activated carbon is its high surface area for efficient adsorption of contaminants. Feedstocks can include a number of locally available materials with little or negative value, such as orchard slash and crop residue. In this context, it is necessary to determine and know the conversion effects of the feedstocks to be used in the production of activated carbon. In the study conducted for this purpose; several samples (piñon wood, pecan wood, hardwood, dried grass, Wyoming coal dust, Illinois coal dust, Missouri coal dust, and tire residue) of biomass and industrial waste products were investigated for their conversion into activated carbon. Small samples (approximately 0.02 g) of the feedstocks were pyrolyzed under inert or mildly oxidizing conditions in a thermal analyzer to determine their mass loss as a function of temperature and atmosphere. Once suitable conditions were established, larger quantities (up to 0.6 g) were pyrolyzed in a tube furnace and harvested for characterization of their surface area and porosity via gas sorption analysis. Among the samples used, piñon wood gave the best results, and pyrolysis temperatures between 600 and 650 °C gave the highest yield. Slow pyrolysis or hydrothermal carbonization have come to the fore as recommended production methods for the conversion of biochar, which can be produced from biomass and industrial wastes, into activated carbon. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomass and Bio-Energy)

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18 pages, 3434 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Feasibility of 10 MW Biomass-Fired Power Plant Used Rice Straw in Cambodia

by Sin Sokrethya, Zarif Aminov, Nguyen Van Quan and Tran Dang Xuan

Energies 2023, 16(2), 651; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16020651 - 5 Jan 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 4378

Abstract

This study investigates the feasibility of rice straw for energy production in Cambodia. The potential areas for a 10 MW biomass-fired power plant installation are estimated based on rice straw availability displayed in a graphic information system (GIS). The discounted cash flow (DCF) method on the profitability index (PI) was executed by Mathlab software, which was used to determine the period of the power plant profitability. The reduction of CO and CO₂ emissions from the proposed rice straw biomass-fired power plant with 10 MW capacity was calculated and compared with the coal-fired power plant and open field burning. Prey Veng, Takeo, and Battambang are potential provinces that have an estimated rice straw source of 804,796 t/annum, 720,040 t/annum, and 603,273 t/annum, respectively. Within a 20-year project, the biomass-fired power plant can reach profitability between six and ten years with the operation of the rice-straw price of 20 USD/t to 40 USD/t. The total energy produced by these potential areas is 1251 GWh/annum, with a CO₂ emission avoidance of 1.06 million t/annum compared to the coal-fired power plant operation. Simultaneously, the emission savings of the biomass-fired power plant compared to open-field burning are 0.61 million t/annum of CO₂ and 0.02 million t/annum of CO in the study site. The findings are prospectively essential for further designing of a small-scale biomass-fired power plant in Cambodia. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomass and Bio-Energy)

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14 pages, 4465 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Quality Assessment of Biofuel Briquettes Obtained from Greenhouse Waste Using a Mobile Prototype Briquetting Machine with PTO Drive

by Önder Kabaş, İlker Ünal, Salih Sözer, Kemal Cagatay Selvi and Nicoleta Ungureanu

Energies 2022, 15(22), 8371; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15228371 - 9 Nov 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2814

Abstract

Turkey has a large agricultural area and produces 55–60 million tons of biomass waste/year. This study aimed to obtain bio-briquettes from three types of dried greenhouse wastes and to determine their strength parameters. A prototype of a mobile briquetting machine driven by power take-off (PTO), with hydraulic pistons, and comprising a shredder and grinding or crushing unit with a briquetting pressure in the range of 0–190 MPa, was used. The physical parameters of the obtained briquettes were determined, including density, tumbler and shatter resistance, compression resistance, water intake capacity, and resistance to moisture-humidity. The results of physical and mechanical tests showed that the briquettes are of an extremely high quality. The maximum density, shatter and tumbler resistance were 1143.52 kg·m⁻³, 99.24% in pepper plant waste, and 98.52% in eggplant plant waste, respectively. Based on the analysis of compression tests obtained under 190 MPa (maximum compaction force of 450 kN), the maximum compression force, compression stress, and specific compression force were found in briquettes made from tomato plant wastes (3315 N, 69.43 N·mm⁻², 40.09 N·mm⁻¹, respectively). Overall, the results and variables affecting the strength parameters showed that greenhouse waste biomass is an excellent feedstock for the production of high quality bio-briquettes. The valorization of briquetted greenhouse waste with the proposed prototype contributes to the sustainability of the environment and to a reduction in energy costs for farmers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomass and Bio-Energy)

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