Peter
Biomass As a Renewable Energy Source and How it Help
Biomass fuels are the remains of various crops and animals. The most common crops for biomass fuel products include corn, soybeans, sugar cane, switchgrass, and algae.
In addition to using crop residues, cities often burn solid wastes. Common wastes include paper, cotton, and food. In some developing countries, animal manure is the standard biomass fuel. In the high Andes, for instance, farming communities burn dried llama manure.
Crop residues
In addition to biofuels and other energy sources, crop residues have numerous uses in agriculture, including as fertilizers, soil conservation, and animal feed.
In rural areas, crop residues have long served as the main source of feed and energy for cooking. Increasingly, these residues have a wider range of applications in the bioenergy industry, such as for density-compressed boards, papermaking, and edible fungi cultivation.
Due to the depletion of petroleum resources and the deterioration of the environment, bioenergy and bio-based chemical materials have become more important than ever.
Many factors affect the availability of crop residues. Crop topography, planting scale, and farming system all contribute to the sustainability of crop residue supply. Other factors include energy pressure, economic development, and crop diversity.
Furthermore, climatic conditions also play a role in crop residue supply. By harnessing crop residues for energy, farmers can improve crop yields and reduce air pollution in rural areas. Crop residues can also be utilized as cold storage for agricultural products.
The costs associated with the production of crop residues and feedstock are often ignored in previous studies. The yields and production costs of crop residues must be sufficient to make up for the increased costs associated with collection.
However, these costs should be compensated by the price of biomass in the market. The study by Chen and colleagues shows that crop residues can be used as a renewable fuel source for electricity generation. A significant portion of these crop residues is already used as feedstock for energy production.
Wood
In the EU, wood as a renewable energy source is a key element of the 2020 renewable energy target. However, burning wood as fuel is not a benign practice. Although it is a cheap energy source, the burning of wood is a major cause of climate change and death.
In winter, wood smoke is responsible for almost one-quarter of the dangerous air pollution in Prague, and it contributes more than ten percent of the pollution in southern Germany.
The potential of wood as a renewable energy source is immense. The amount of biomass harvested every year from forests worldwide is equivalent to four times the world's total energy consumption.
As a renewable energy source, wood supplies can be made available by switching small Roundwood logs from existing end uses, using sawmill residues, or planting new plantations. In addition, it's also easy to store.
In the future, this renewable energy source will continue to have many advantages over other types of fossil fuels.
Advanced wood-based technologies can provide heat and electricity to households and businesses. Moreover, they are a sustainable, local fuel source that supports local jobs and local economies. Furthermore, they are carbon-smart.
Despite the difficult conditions encountered in harvesting wood, the industry is able to generate clean, renewable energy. In fact, European forests are continually growing, a factor that makes the potential of wood as a renewable energy source even greater.
Sawdust
There are many reasons why sawdust could be a useful source of biomass. This biomass is a byproduct of wood processing and is not yet available locally. This biomass can be found in waste products from sawmills and other forest industry operations.
Additionally, the construction industry produces scrap wood that could also be converted into biomass in the future. By developing new utilization strategies for sawdust, the potential for sustainable energy production can grow.
Thermal treatment of sawdust can increase its calorific value and density. The thermal process can alter the biomass chemically, particularly hemicelluloses. Torrefaction was used to increase the calorific value of sawdust by approximately 20% at 230 degC.
It is also useful for enhancing economic properties. Further, thermal treatment has the potential to be used to produce biogas from a wide range of biomass waste.
Wood waste, especially sawdust, is an abundant and cheap source of renewable energy. A wood-fired system can utilize waste from the shop. It can also be used in combination with industrial process heat to produce power.
Most biomass power produced by industrial facilities is used on-site, while the remaining two percent is generated from agricultural waste, landfill gas, and anaerobic digesters. The power produced by these industries is sourced from 88 percent of wood waste.
Chicken litter
Growing and processing poultry litter for the production of high-quality fuel is one way to produce sustainable energy. A recent pilot plant in west central Minnesota converted poultry waste to high-quality fuel and electricity.
The plant provides hot water to local industries and supports the local economy while addressing environmental concerns. Ultimately, this new resource will be beneficial to farmers and the environment. Moreover, it is a cost-effective way to generate energy.
A significant amount of poultry litter is discarded for fertilizer, and the chemical components end up in waterways, streams, and ditches. The remaining portion of this waste is ash, which is then used by the fertilizer industry for controlled application.
While a small amount of poultry litter is lost to waterways, a significant portion of it is composted inside. This process can help divert a significant amount of methane.
A biomass-fired system can reduce operating expenses for poultry farms while addressing environmental concerns. It involves storage and thermochemical conversion of poultry litter, and distribution of heat and electrical output throughout a production house. Some systems have a heat-only output, while others can provide both heat and electricity.
For these systems to be successful, they must be technically viable, economically feasible, and acceptable to customers. The current legislation has not yet caught up to the reality of using chicken litter as a renewable energy source.
Forest residues
Forest residues are a natural by-product of timber harvesting around the world. To optimize biomass utilization, the physical and chemical properties of forest residues must be understood.
In this study, comminuted forest residues were classified into four size fractions and three density parameters were established. The mean bulk density of these fractions ranged from 110 to 190 kg/m. The specific density of these fractions was 0.64.
As a by-product of harvesting operations, forest residues are often low-value and are harvested concurrently with conventional Roundwood harvesting. This makes them suitable for fuel production. However, biomass conversion has several drawbacks.
For example, biomass-derived fuels can be more expensive than fossil fuels, while forest residues can have a lower energy density. Therefore, if forest residues are harvested, the yield will be lower.
The primary feedstocks for bioenergy are trees that have been harvested for timber or are otherwise unmerchantable. Dead or dying trees left in the woods after timber harvesting are often considered forest biomass.
Bioenergy can be extracted from this woody waste and help restore ecosystem health. This biomass can also help reduce the risk of fire and maintain nutrient and hydrologic features. A recent study from Oak Ridge National Laboratory found that logging forest residues could yield a billion tons of wood-based fuel in the United States.
The apparent density of wood chips and comminuted forest residues was measured. The measurements of these biomasses ranged from 725 to 908 kg/m3.
These biomasses can be further processed into briquettes with a diameter of 40 mm. The resulting fuels are then used in a variety of processes, including biomass burning and biogas. The results obtained in this study are provided in Table 2
Algae
An artificial intelligence-based process for producing algae is proving to be an economically viable and reliable biofuel. The technology may prove to be an excellent source of alternative fuel for jet aircraft and other transportation needs.
Researchers at Texas A& M AgriLife Research are hoping to make algae a viable alternative source of energy. Their research is led by Joshua Yuan, professor, and chair of Synthetic Biology and Renewable Products. He is also a member of the department's Biotechnology Institute.
The cultivation of algae requires the availability of carbon, nitrogen, and trace metals. These nutrients are usually supplied via inorganic fertilizers. These fertilizers are used to achieve an acceptable growth rate and production of algal biomass.
They also reduce contamination of the culturing medium. The cultivated algae may also be re-cultured using the water they produce. Algae biomass can be used for electricity generation, renewable energy, biogas, fertilizer, and even fuel.
The production of algal biomass for energy purposes is a promising and sustainable way to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. It has several advantages over conventional crops and biofuels. For example, microalgae can be used to produce biodiesel.
Biogas produced from algal biomass can be converted to bioethanol by direct fermentation. Biomass can also be processed into solid and liquid products through thermochemical decomposition, pyrolysis, and biorefinery.
Sources:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0925752118303589
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acssuschemeng.0c03283
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/10/191016181252.htm
https://www.southernforest.org/news/2017/02/science-update-woody-biomass-fuel-production/
https://cen.acs.org/energy/renewable-energy/Microalgae-viable-alternative-source/96/i17
