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In-Depth Investigations in Bioenergy
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In-Depth Investigations in Bioenergy

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2025 | Viewed by 12029

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Katarzyna Bułkowska

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Environmental Biotechnology, Faculty of Geoengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Sloneczna St. 45G, 10-709 Olsztyn, Poland
Interests: methane fermentation; biohydrogen production; ADM1; modeling of anaerobic digestion
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Magdalena Zielińska

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Environmental Biotechnology, Faculty of Geoengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Sloneczna St. 45G, 10-709 Olsztyn, Poland
Interests: valorization of agri-food waste; wastewater treatment; membrane filtration
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The Special Issue "In-Depth Investigations in Bioenergy" aims to provide a comprehensive exploration of various aspects related to bioenergy production, utilization and sustainability. In addition, it is dedicated to the examination of bioenergy sources, technologies, environmental impacts and policy considerations and aims to provide a thorough understanding of the current state and future opportunities in this field.

The scope of this topic includes, but is not limited to, the following:

(1) Bioenergy sources and conversion technologies:
Examination of the various bioenergy sources such as biomass, biofuels and biogas.
In-depth analysis of conversion technologies, including thermochemical, biochemical and biological processes.

(2) Sustainability and environmental impact:
Assessment of the environmental footprint of bioenergy production and use.
Exploration of sustainable practices, land use considerations and impacts on biodiversity.

(3) Technological advances and innovations:
Investigating the latest technological developments in bioenergy production.
Exploring innovative approaches to increase efficiency, reduce costs and minimize environmental impact.

(4) Economic viability and market dynamics:
Analyzing the economic feasibility and competitiveness of bioenergy projects in the energy market.
Assessment of market trends, challenges and opportunities for the introduction of bioenergy.

(5) Policy framework and regulatory landscape:
Examination of national and international policies influencing bioenergy development.
Discussing the regulatory framework in relation to sustainability, carbon emissions and incentives for bioenergy projects.

(6) Integration with renewable energy systems:
Exploring the integration of bioenergy with other renewable energy sources for a diversified and sustainable energy portfolio.
Evaluation of hybrid energy systems and their potential contribution to the overall energy matrix.

(7) Challenges and research gaps:
Identifying and analyzing the challenges facing the bioenergy sector.
Exploring research gaps and areas requiring further investigation to overcome barriers to widespread adoption.

(8) Future prospects and emerging trends:
Anticipating future developments in bioenergy technologies and their potential impact.
Investigating emerging trends that could shape the path of bioenergy research and implementation.

Dr. Katarzyna Bułkowska
Prof. Dr. Magdalena Zielińska
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 sustainability
  • thermochemical conversion
  • biofuel production
  • environmental impact assessment
  • renewable energy integration
  • challenges in bioenergy
  • market dynamics in bioenergy
  • bioenergy infrastructure development
  • decentralized energy systems
  • lignocellulosic biomass utilization
  • emerging trends in bioenergy
  • cellulosic ethanol pathways
  • algal biofuel production
  • microbial fuel cell applications

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 1153 KiB  
Article
Combustion of Pelletized Coffee Residues for Bioenergy Valorization Within a Circular Economy Vision
by Vincenzo Civitarese, Angelo Del Giudice, Andrea Acampora, Elisa Fischetti, Thomas Gasperini, Carmine De Francesco, Giuseppe Toscano and Antonio Scarfone
Energies 2024, 17(23), 5875; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17235875 - 22 Nov 2024
Viewed by 763
Abstract
Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world; the European Union alone consumes about 2.5 million tons of coffee per year. Yearly, millions of tons of coffee residues are generated, becoming an attractive material for circular economy flows. This [...] Read more.
Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world; the European Union alone consumes about 2.5 million tons of coffee per year. Yearly, millions of tons of coffee residues are generated, becoming an attractive material for circular economy flows. This study explores the potential of utilizing pelletized coffee residues as sustainable bioenergy sources within the framework of a circular economy. The coffee residues, obtained from damaged capsules and pods from factories, were utilized in pure form or blended with sawdust at different percentages, then analyzed with respect to their physical and thermochemical parameters. The results indicate that unblended coffee residues exhibit favorable combustion properties with respect to heating value (18.84 MJ kg−1), but also high concentrations of N (4.14%) compared to the conventional pellets obtained from other agricultural residues. The blending with woody material negatively affects both durability and bulk density, but simultaneously promotes a reduction in ash content (3.09%) and N content (1.94%). In general, this study confirmed the findings of previous scientific reports, highlighting that at least 50% blending with low-nitrogen biomasses is necessary to reach the marketability of the product. In addition, this study highlighted the criticality in terms of durability that these mixtures confer to the final product, emphasizing that future research should focus on optimizing the combination of these factors to improve the properties of the pellet. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue In-Depth Investigations in Bioenergy)
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18 pages, 3447 KiB  
Article
Co-Pyrolysis of Woody Biomass and Oil Shale—A Kinetics and Modelling Study
by Alejandro Lyons Ceron, Richard Ochieng, Shiplu Sarker, Oliver Järvik and Alar Konist
Energies 2024, 17(5), 1055; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17051055 - 23 Feb 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1334
Abstract
The co-pyrolysis of biomass and fossil fuels has been the subject of studies on sustainable energy. Co-feeding oil shale with woody biomass can contribute to a transition into carbon neutrality. The present study analysed the thermal decomposition behaviour of oil shale and biomass [...] Read more.
The co-pyrolysis of biomass and fossil fuels has been the subject of studies on sustainable energy. Co-feeding oil shale with woody biomass can contribute to a transition into carbon neutrality. The present study analysed the thermal decomposition behaviour of oil shale and biomass blends (0:1, 3:7, 1:1, 7:3, 9:1, and 1:0) through thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) at 80–630 °C with a heating rate of 10 °C/min in CO2 and N2 atmospheres. A comparison of theoretical and experimental residual mass yields of oil shale–biomass mixtures indicated no significant interactions between the fuels. The blends contributed to a decrease of up to 34.4 wt% in solid residues compared to individual pyrolysis of oil shale, and the TGA curves were shifted from up to 10 °C to a lower temperature when the biomass ratio increased. The use of a CO2 atmosphere resulted in the production of solid residues, comparable to the one obtained with the N2 atmosphere. CO2 atmosphere can be used in oil shale–biomass co-pyrolysis, without affecting the decomposition process or increasing the yield of residues. A kinetic model method is proposed based on TGA data at 10, 20, and 30 °C/min. The apparent activation energies for a temperature range of 200–520 °C were in the order of 139, 155, 164, 197, 154, and 167 kJ/mol for oil shale–biomass 0:1, 3:7, 1:1, 7:3, 9:1, and 1:0 blends, respectively. From the isoconversional kinetic analysis, a two-stage pyrolysis was observed, which separated biomass and oil shale pyrolysis. A simulation of biomass and oil shale co-pyrolysis was conducted in Aspen Plus® using TGA-derived kinetic data. The model prediction resulted in a close match with the experimental thermogravimetric data with absolute errors from 1.75 to 3.78%, which highlights the relevance of TGA analysis in simulating co-pyrolysis processes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue In-Depth Investigations in Bioenergy)
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Review

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25 pages, 4914 KiB  
Review
Blockchain-Based Management of Recyclable Plastic Waste
by Katarzyna Bułkowska, Magdalena Zielińska and Maciej Bułkowski
Energies 2024, 17(12), 2937; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17122937 - 14 Jun 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3601
Abstract
Effective management of recyclable plastic waste is critical for environmental sustainability and economic viability. Blockchain technology has transformative potential in addressing the challenges of plastic waste management. Currently, the inefficiency of plastic recycling systems results in low recycling rates and significant environmental impacts [...] Read more.
Effective management of recyclable plastic waste is critical for environmental sustainability and economic viability. Blockchain technology has transformative potential in addressing the challenges of plastic waste management. Currently, the inefficiency of plastic recycling systems results in low recycling rates and significant environmental impacts due to poor sorting, contamination, and limited technology application. However, innovations such as chemical recycling, solvent-based techniques, and biotechnology offer promising advances in the management of plastic waste. Blockchain technology provides a transparent, decentralized ledger that enhances traceability and incentives through smart contracts, decentralized applications (DApps), and digital watermarks. These blockchain solutions can improve waste tracking, automate payments, and reward participants who recycle responsibly. Although significant investment in technology and education is required, integrating blockchain with the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven analytics could revolutionize plastic waste management by creating transparent, efficient, and collaborative recycling ecosystems. Blockchain technology has immense potential to redefine the management of plastic waste and promote a sustainable, circular economy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue In-Depth Investigations in Bioenergy)
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32 pages, 785 KiB  
Review
An Overview of Pyrolysis as Waste Treatment to Produce Eco-Energy
by Ana B. Cuevas, David E. Leiva-Candia and M. P. Dorado
Energies 2024, 17(12), 2852; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17122852 - 10 Jun 2024
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 5173
Abstract
The aim of this review is to understand the progress in waste material management through pyrolysis to produce eco-energy. The growing demand for energy, combined with the depletion of traditional fossil fuels and their contribution to environmental problems, has led to the search [...] Read more.
The aim of this review is to understand the progress in waste material management through pyrolysis to produce eco-energy. The growing demand for energy, combined with the depletion of traditional fossil fuels and their contribution to environmental problems, has led to the search for waste-to-energy technologies in pursuit of carbon neutrality. While municipal residues are only part of the waste management problem, the impact of discarded plastics on the environment and landfills is significant. Plastics not only take centuries to decompose, but also seriously pollute the oceans. Pyrolysis is a thermochemical process that allows for the thermal decomposition of waste in the absence of oxygen. There are several types of pyrolytic reactors, including batch and continuous ones. Batch reactors are preferred to process polymeric waste, with studies highlighting the importance of optimizing parameters, i.e., type of feedstock, heating rate, and pyrolysis temperature. Moreover, the choice of reactor type can influence the yield and structure of the final compounds. Furthermore, various studies have highlighted the gas heating value obtained through waste pyrolysis and how the composition of the liquid fraction is influenced by the type of polyethylene used. Though scientific interest in pyrolysis is remarkable, as publications have increased in recent years, kinetics studies are scarce. Overall, pyrolysis is a promising technique for managing waste materials to produce energy. Ongoing research and development in this area offer significant potential for improving the sustainability of waste management systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue In-Depth Investigations in Bioenergy)
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