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Biomass and Bio-Energy—2nd Edition

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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: 12 October 2024 | Viewed by 7307

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Carmen Otilia Rusǎnescu

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Guest Editor

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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Guest Editor

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 in Energies (10 articles)

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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10 pages, 674 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Biogas Potential of Food Waste-Recycling Wastewater after Oil–Water Separation

by Gyuseong Han, Juhee Shin, Myoung-Eun Lee and Seung Gu Shin

Energies 2024, 17(17), 4428; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17174428 - 4 Sep 2024

Viewed by 373

Abstract

This study explores the potential of food waste-recycling wastewater (FRW) for biogas production, emphasizing oil–water separation before anaerobic digestion. Three FRW samples were analyzed: non-treated (FRW), water–oil separated (FRW_sep), and mixed with domestic sewage (FRW_mix). Physicochemical characterization showed a 26% reduction in crude lipid content after oil–water separation. The biochemical methane potential (BMP) tests revealed similar methane yields for FRW_sep and FRW_mix compared to non-treated FRW. Microbial analysis identified Firmicutes and Methanoculleus as active populations. Energy balance suggests that combining biodiesel and biogas production can enhance net energy recovery. This research indicates that oil–water separation in FRW treatment can optimize anaerobic digestion, contributing to sustainable waste management and renewable energy generation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomass and Bio-Energy—2nd Edition)

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17 pages, 8225 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Qualities and Quantities of Poultry Litter Biochar Characterization and Investigation

by Yulai Yang, Xuejun Qian, Samuel O. Alamu, Kayla Brown, Seong W. Lee and Dong-Hee Kang

Energies 2024, 17(12), 2885; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17122885 - 12 Jun 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 857

Abstract

Excessive land application of poultry litter (PL) may lead to surface runoff of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), which cause eutrophication, fish death, and water pollution that ultimately have negative effects on humans and animals. Increases in poultry production in the Delmarva Peninsula underscore the need for more efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable disposal technologies for processing PL instead of direct land application. The pyrolysis conversion process can potentially produce nutrient-rich poultry litter biochar (PLB), while the pyrolysis process can change the N and P to a more stable component, thus reducing its runoff. Pyrolysis also kills off any microorganisms that would otherwise trigger negative environmental health effects. This study is to apply an integrated method and investigate the effect of pyrolysis temperature (300 °C, 500 °C), poultry litter source (different feedstock composition), and bedding material mixture (10% pine shavings) on PLB qualities and quantities. Proximate and ultimate analysis showed PL sources and bedding material addition influenced the physicochemical properties of feedstock. The SEM and BET surface results indicate that pyrolysis temperature had a significant effect on changing the PLB morphology and structure, as well as the pH value (7.78 at 300 °C vs. 8.78 at 500 °C), extractable phosphorus (P) (18.73 ppm at 300 °C vs. 11.72 ppm at 500 °C), sulfur (S) (363 ppm at 300 °C vs. 344 ppm at 500 °C), and production yield of PLBs (47.65% at 300 °C vs. 60.62% at 500 °C). The results further suggest that adding a bedding material mixture (10% pine shavings) to PLs improved qualities by reducing the content of extractable P and S, as well as pH values of PLBs. This study also found the increment in both the pore volume and the area of Bethel Farm was higher than that of Sun Farm. Characterization and investigation of qualities and quantities of PLB using the integrated framework suggest that PL from Bethel Farm could produce better-quality PLB at a higher pyrolysis temperature and bedding material mixture to control N and P runoff problems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomass and Bio-Energy—2nd Edition)

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15 pages, 1651 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Trace Elements in Maize Biomass Used to Phyto-Stabilise Iron-Contaminated Soils for Energy Production

by Mirosław Wyszkowski and Natalia Kordala

Energies 2024, 17(12), 2839; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17122839 - 8 Jun 2024

Viewed by 434

Abstract

The aim of the study was to determine the feasibility of using maize biomass for the phyto-stabilisation of iron-contaminated soils under conditions involving the application of humic acids (HAs). The biomass yield content of maize trace elements was analysed. In the absence of HAs, the first dose of Fe-stimulated plant biomass growth was compared to the absence of Fe contamination. The highest soil Fe contamination resulted in a very large reduction in maize biomass yield, with a maximum of 93%. The addition of HAs had a positive effect on plant biomass, with a maximum of 53%, and reduced the negative effect of Fe. There was an almost linear increase in maize biomass yield with increasing doses of HAs. Analogous changes were observed in dry matter content in maize. Soil treatment with Fe caused a significant increase in its content in maize biomass, with a maximum increase of three times in the series without HAs. There was also a decrease in Co, Cr and Cd content (by 17%, 21% and 44%, respectively) and an increase in Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn and Mn accumulation (by 32%, 63%, 75%, 97% and 203%, respectively). The application of HAs to the soil reduced the content of this trace element and its growth in the biomass of this plant under the influence of Fe contamination. They had a similar effect on other trace elements contained in the maize biomass. HAs contributed to a decrease in the level of most of the tested trace elements (except Ni and Pb) in the maize biomass. The reduction ranged from 11% (Cr and Mn) to 72% (Cd). The accumulation of Ni and Pb in the maize biomass was higher in the objects with HAs application than in the series without their addition. Humic acid application is a promising method for the reduction of the effects of soil Fe contamination on plants. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomass and Bio-Energy—2nd Edition)

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17 pages, 1058 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Anaerobic Digestion as a Possible Method of Managing Waste from Mushroom Production with Sewage Sludge as Co-Substrate

by Katarzyna Bernat, Thi Cam Tu Le, Dorota Kulikowska and Ram Thapa

Energies 2024, 17(8), 1938; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17081938 - 18 Apr 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1048

Abstract

The mushroom agroindustry generates a huge amount of waste from mushroom production (WMP). The composition of WMP is not standardized but differs mainly in terms of organic matter (OM) content and OM biodegradability. This makes WMP management, including anaerobic digestion (AD), a significant challenge. A potential solution could be co-digestion of WMP with municipal sewage sludge (SS), especially SS generated in small rural wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Therefore, this study investigated mesophilic methane production (MP) from WMP, SS, and mixtures of SS and WMP at ratios of 70:30, 50:50, and 30:70 (w/w OM). Even though the maximum cumulative MP from WMP was relatively low (approx. 60 NL/kg OM), co-digesting WMP with SS increased both MP and the methane content of the biogas: with 30%, 50%, and 70% shares of SS, MP increased almost 2, 2.5, and 3.3 times, and the methane content increased to 61%, 62%, and 64%, respectively. As the SS content was increased, the kinetic coefficients of MP and OM removal decreased (from 0.211 to 0.146 d⁻¹ and from 0.215 to 0.152 d⁻¹), whereas the initial rate of MP and of OM removal increased (from 12.5 to 36.8 NL/(kg OM·d) and from 0.51 kg OM/(m³·d) to 0.59 kg OM/(m³·d), respectively). The effectiveness of OM removal (E_OMrem) was lowest with WMP only, at 46.6%. When the SS content of the mixtures was increased to 30%, 50%, and 70%, E_OMrem also increased to 55.3%, 60.1%, and 64.9%, respectively. The relationship between maximal MP and the overall OM removed was such that both increased simultaneously. The higher values of E_OMrem and, consequently, the lower final contents of OM with more effective MP indicate that the organics were degraded more efficiently. These results suggest that co-digestion may be a profitable solution for simultaneously utilizing both of these waste products, increasing the efficiency of biogas production to such an extent that it would be profitable to conduct AD on mushroom farms. This is a flexible approach that allows varying proportions of WMP and SS to be used, depending on the availability of both substrates and the energy needs of the mushroom farm. However, it should be borne in mind that a higher share of WMP results in lower gas productivity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomass and Bio-Energy—2nd Edition)

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11 pages, 1618 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Replacing Natural Gas with Biomethane from Sewage Treatment: Optimizing the Potential in São Paulo State, Brazil

by Natalia dos Santos Renato, Augusto Cesar Laviola de Oliveira, Amanda Martins Teixeira Ervilha, Sarah Falchetto Antoniazzi, Julia Moltó, Juan Antonio Conesa and Alisson Carraro Borges

Energies 2024, 17(7), 1657; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17071657 - 30 Mar 2024

Viewed by 917

Abstract

The search for cleaner and more sustainable energy sources is increasingly growing. Aligning this demand with another environmental problem, such as sewage treatment/disposal, is a strategic priority. In light of this, the aim of this study was to estimate the energy potential of sewage generated in the Brazilian state of São Paulo (SP) by using it to produce biomethane. The study also evaluated the viability of using this byproduct of sewage treatment (biomethane) as a substitute for natural gas (NG), as both of them have similar lower heat values. To do this, information was gathered regarding the population, gross domestic product per capita, sewage collected, and natural gas consumption for each of the state’s 645 cities, and, based on this, the sewage energy potential, the amount of NG to be substituted by biomethane, and the reduction in CO₂ emissions were calculated. Moreover, in order to address a possible allocation of biomethane that could potentially be produced in each SP city and sent to currently NG-consuming cities, an optimization algorithm was proposed. The results indicated a sewage energy potential of 4.68 × 10⁹ kWh/yr for the entire SP state, which would be enough to supply around 10% of the energy value of all the NG currently consumed. It was also observed that from 130 cities with NG consumption, 10 could produce enough biomethane to fully satisfy the natural gas demand. In the elected scenario of optimization, 291 cities were found to be capable of supplying the demand of 26 cities that currently use NG. The potential to reduce CO₂ emissions is between 1.81 × 10⁶ and 2.42 × 10⁶ ton/yr, and this range could increase if sewage treatment coverage grows. Despite the challenges inherent in extrapolating a potential study to scenarios that require significative investment, the results obtained are useful for formulating public policies for decarbonization in the near future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomass and Bio-Energy—2nd Edition)

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28 pages, 949 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Willow, Poplar, and Black Locust Debarked Wood as Feedstock for Energy and Other Purposes

by Mariusz Jerzy Stolarski, Łukasz Gil, Michał Krzyżaniak, Ewelina Olba-Zięty and Ai-Min Wu

Energies 2024, 17(7), 1535; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17071535 - 23 Mar 2024

Viewed by 720

Abstract

Solid biomass can be used for energy generation and the production of various renewable bioproducts. The aim of this study was to determine the yield and characteristics of wood obtained as debarking residue from 14 genotypes of short-rotation woody crops (SRWCs). These included five Populus genotypes, one Robinia genotype, and eight Salix genotypes, harvested in both annual and quadrennial cycles. The results showed that the highest dry wood yield (12.42 Mg ha⁻¹ y⁻¹ DM) and yield energy value (244.34 GJ ha⁻¹ y⁻¹) were obtained from willow (cultivar Żubr) harvested in a quadrennial cycle. The best effect among the poplar genotypes was achieved for the Hybryda275, and it was particularly marked in the quadrennial harvest cycle. The poorest results were determined for black locust. The Robinia characteristics included the significantly lowest moisture content (31.6%), which was a positive attribute from the energy point of view, but, on the other hand, it had some adverse characteristics—the highest levels of sulfur (0.033% DM), nitrogen (0.38% DM), and ash (0.69% DM). More beneficial properties in this respect were determined for willow and poplar wood. Moreover, willow and poplar wood contained more cellulose—51.8 and 50.0% DM, respectively—compared with black locust. Extending the SRWC shoot harvest cycle from annual to quadrennial resulted in an increase in cellulose, lignin, and carbon, higher heating value, and a decrease in nitrogen, sulfur, ash, and moisture content. Therefore, extending the harvest cycle improved the parameters of SRWC wood as an energy feedstock. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomass and Bio-Energy—2nd Edition)

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Review

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33 pages, 1478 KiB

Open AccessReview

Comparative Analysis of Acidic and Alkaline Pretreatment Techniques for Bioethanol Production from Perennial Grasses

by Lovisa Panduleni Johannes and Tran Dang Xuan

Energies 2024, 17(5), 1048; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17051048 - 22 Feb 2024

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2270

Abstract

This review paper examines acid and alkaline pretreatments on perennial grasses for second-generation (2G) bioethanol production, a relatively unexplored area in this field. It compares the efficiency of these pretreatments in producing fermentable sugar and bioethanol yield. This study finds that alkaline pretreatment is more effective than acidic pretreatment in removing lignin and increasing sugar yield, leading to higher ethanol yields. However, it is costlier and requires longer reaction times than acidic pretreatment, while acidic pretreatment often leads to the formation of inhibitory compounds at higher temperatures, which is undesirable. The economic and environmental impacts of lignocellulosic biomass (LCB) are also assessed. It is revealed that LCB has a lower carbon but higher water footprint and significant costs due to pretreatment compared to first-generation biofuels. This review further explores artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced technologies in optimizing bioethanol production and identified the gap in literature regarding their application to pretreatment of perennial grasses. This review concludes that although perennial grasses hold promise for 2G bioethanol, the high costs and environmental challenges associated with LCB necessitate further research. This research should focus on integrating AI to optimize the pretreatment of LCB, thereby improving efficiency and sustainability in 2G biofuel production. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomass and Bio-Energy—2nd Edition)

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