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Advances in Biomass Conversion and Valorization: From Conventional to Emerging Technologies

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 July 2026 | Viewed by 1828

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Javier Fermoso

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Catalysis and Petrochemistry, 28049 Madrid, Spain
Interests: thermochemical biomass conversion; catalytic pyrolysis; bio-oil upgrading; biofuels; gasification; hydrogen production; plastic waste thermochemical valorization; activated biochars; NOx adsorption; biofilters
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The growing demand for sustainable alternatives to fossil-based resources has placed biomass at the forefront of global strategies for a circular bioeconomy. Biomass, as an abundant and renewable feedstock, offers a promising pathway for the production of energy, fuels, chemicals, and materials. However, unlocking its full potential requires continued innovation in conversion and valorization technologies to address challenges related to efficiency, selectivity, scalability, and environmental impact.

This Special Issue, “Advances in Biomass Conversion and Valorization: From Conventional to Emerging Technologies”, aims to provide a comprehensive platform for showcasing recent developments in the field. It invites contributions from across the scientific and engineering communities working on the transformation of biomass—whether lignocellulosic, algal, agricultural, or industrial residues—into energy-related (e.g., biofuels, biogas, biodiesel, etc.) and valuable products or increasing their energy content.

The scope of the issue encompasses both well-established processes, such as thermochemical (combustion, pyrolysis, and gasification), biochemical (fermentation and enzymatic hydrolysis), and physico-chemical methods, as well as cutting-edge and hybrid technologies, including photocatalysis, electrocatalysis, supercritical processing, plasma-assisted conversion, and AI-driven process optimization. Emphasis will also be placed on novel reactor designs, advanced materials (e.g., catalysts, membranes, and sorbents), and integrated biorefinery concepts (for biofuels, biochemicals, or biopower production) that enhance biomass energy utilization and conversion efficiency and enable product diversification.

Contributions are encouraged that explore techno-economic assessments, life cycle analysis, and sustainability metrics to evaluate the environmental and economic feasibility of the proposed technologies. Studies addressing policy frameworks, value chain integration, and cross-sectoral applications—from energy to materials and chemicals—are also welcomed.

This Special Issue seeks to bring together interdisciplinary research that not only advances the scientific and technological frontiers of biomass conversion but also contributes to real-world impact in the context of decarbonization, circular economy, and sustainable development goals. Original research articles, reviews, perspectives, and short communications are all suitable for submission.

Through this Special Issue, Energies aims to highlight both incremental advancements and transformative breakthroughs that are driving the transition to a more sustainable and resilient bio-based economy.

Dr. Javier Fermoso
Guest Editor

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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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

  • biomass conversion
  • biomass energy utilization
  • sustainable energy systems
  • biorefinery concepts
  • sustainable bioeconomy
  • catalysis and process engineering
  • thermochemical and biochemical processes
  • life cycle and techno-economic assessment
  • hybrid and emerging conversion technologies

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

22 pages, 3430 KB  
Article
Utilization of Poultry Litter from a Small Farm in Anaerobic Digestion for Energy Production Supported with Photovoltaics
by Venelin Hubenov, Ludmil Stoyanov, Stefan Stoychev, Ivan Simeonov, Valentin Milenov, Ivan Bachev and Lyudmila Kabaivanova
Energies 2026, 19(6), 1428; https://doi.org/10.3390/en19061428 - 12 Mar 2026
Viewed by 404
Abstract
The chicken farm is a specific type of agricultural site with high electricity and heat consumption, which makes it ideal for the implementation of green energy. The specificity of the farm (need for continuous ventilation, lighting, and heating) allows achieving energy independence and [...] Read more.
The chicken farm is a specific type of agricultural site with high electricity and heat consumption, which makes it ideal for the implementation of green energy. The specificity of the farm (need for continuous ventilation, lighting, and heating) allows achieving energy independence and reducing costs. Small farms can meet their own electricity needs using clean energy through the application of photovoltaics and converting waste biomass to usable energy. These two ways of power production could also reduce carbon footprints. In this study, the feasibility of using renewable energy for energy management in a poultry farm by consecutively involving solar and biomass energy was revealed. A biotechnological process for the production of biogas from chicken litter in a continuously stirred system of tank bioreactors was performed. It was supplied by electricity from a photovoltaic system. To obtain the maximum amount of solar energy, a photovoltaic system consisting of four panels, invertor and a battery with smart control was designed to collect, store, and bring energy to the reactor system collector and connected to the laboratory bioreactor, conveying the biogas production process. Several hydraulic retention times (HRT) were tested for optimizing biogas (biomethane) production, reaching a maximum of 575.49 NmL CH4/dm3 at an HRT of 13.3 days for the first bioreactor and 278.7 NmL CH4/g VSadd at an HRT of 120 days for the whole system. The energy balance made, reporting meteorological data, showed the economic feasibility for small farms to meet their own electricity needs. Involving renewable energy technologies could solve the problem of fossil fuel dependency and waste management for environmental protection and profit increase. It would permit a transition toward sustainable energy practices in agriculture and food production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Biomass Conversion and Valorization: From Conventional to Emerging Technologies)
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22 pages, 1830 KB  
Article
Integrated Biocatalysis in Microbial Fuel Cells: Coupling Saccharomyces cerevisiae Fermentation and Acetobacter aceti Oxidation for Biomass Valorization
by Miguel Ángel Reinoso, Samuel Valle-Asan, Kevin Huilcarema-Enríquez and Edwin León-Plúas
Energies 2026, 19(4), 1004; https://doi.org/10.3390/en19041004 - 14 Feb 2026
Viewed by 513
Abstract
Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) convert the chemical energy of biomass into electricity through microbially driven redox reactions. We evaluated a single-chamber, membrane-less MFC fed with sugarcane molasses and inoculated with a two-member consortium: Saccharomyces cerevisiae (glucose → ethanol fermentation) and Acetobacter aceti (ethanol [...] Read more.
Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) convert the chemical energy of biomass into electricity through microbially driven redox reactions. We evaluated a single-chamber, membrane-less MFC fed with sugarcane molasses and inoculated with a two-member consortium: Saccharomyces cerevisiae (glucose → ethanol fermentation) and Acetobacter aceti (ethanol → acetate oxidation). Three anode–cathode pairs were tested—bronze–Zn, copper–Zn, and graphite–Zn—across 27 units and 20 operating cycles. During ethanol oxidation, A. aceti oxidizes ethanol to acetic acid and, in our configuration, this biocatalytic step is designed to contribute electrons to the bronze, copper, or graphite anodes. These electrons, together with those generated by galvanic reactions in the electrode pair, flow through the external circuit to the zinc cathode, where oxygen reduction closes the circuit. The cells reached open-circuit potentials > 0.8 V, with performance following the hierarchy graphite–Zn > copper–Zn > bronze–Zn, consistent with the superior biocompatibility and lower corrosion of carbonaceous anodes. Multivariate analysis using PLS-SEM confirmed that redox indicators and electrode composition were strong determinants of voltage output (R2 = 0.911) and demonstrated high predictive relevance (Q2 = 0.906) for the voltage construct. These findings show that coupling yeast fermentation with acetic acid–bacteria oxidation enables synthetic-mediator-free electron transfer in a simple single-chamber configuration and shows that electrode material selection is a primary lever for achieving stable potentials for biomass valorization. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Biomass Conversion and Valorization: From Conventional to Emerging Technologies)
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20 pages, 465 KB  
Article
Methanol Production Pathways in Nova Scotia: Opportunities and Challenges for Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage
by Augustine Okafor and Larry Hughes
Energies 2025, 18(24), 6415; https://doi.org/10.3390/en18246415 - 8 Dec 2025
Viewed by 517
Abstract
Producing methanol through carbon capture and utilization presents a sustainable alternative to traditional methods. This study explores two main production pathways, which are further divided into four distinct scenarios. In Nova Scotia, methanol could be produced by combining green hydrogen with either biogenic [...] Read more.
Producing methanol through carbon capture and utilization presents a sustainable alternative to traditional methods. This study explores two main production pathways, which are further divided into four distinct scenarios. In Nova Scotia, methanol could be produced by combining green hydrogen with either biogenic or fossil-derived carbon dioxide sources. The four scenarios differ in scale, carbon source, and methanol output. Scenario 1, a small biomass plant, captures 0.033 Mt CO2/yr and produces 0.024 Mt methanol, but uses only 3% of the green hydrogen. Scenario 2, a natural gas plant, captures 0.90 Mt CO2/yr and produces 0.66 Mt methanol with 69% hydrogen use. Scenario 3, a coal plant, captures 2.30 Mt CO2/yr, converting 57% to 0.94 Mt methanol. Scenario 4, a proposed BECCS plant, captures 2.46 Mt CO2/yr, converts 53% to 0.94 Mt green methanol, and delivers the highest net-negative emissions, making it the most climate-friendly option. While Scenarios 1, 2, and 3 could benefit from retrofitting existing plants, Scenario 4 would require significant infrastructure investment to make it a reality. The study concludes that while Nova Scotia possesses the resources to support renewable and non-renewable methanol production, challenges related to CO2 availability, green hydrogen production, biomass supply, energy requirement, and public perception must be addressed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Biomass Conversion and Valorization: From Conventional to Emerging Technologies)
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