3 - Production of solid and liquid fuels for energy applications via pyrolysis of biomass

Abstract

The increasing global energy demand alongside the depletion of finite fossil-based fuels are driving our need for finding an alternative renewable source of energy on our way to the zero-carbon economy. Therefore, biomass is considered one of the most promising renewable feedstocks for energy generation or as a starting material in producing value-added products in the chemical industry. Herein, this chapter focuses on the utilization of biomass as a direct solid fuel or in the production of bio-oil through pyrolysis. The most up-to-date literature in this area is critically discussed and analyzed in this work to provide future directions throughout the various challenges and opportunities in this exciting area. The main focus of this chapter is to summarize the most recent advancements of biochar and bio-oil production for energy applications through bibliometric mapping analysis and put forward guidelines for the future routes herein. This chapter suggests that the approach of solid fuel production from biomass is a mature enough research area and technology for scale-up than that of bio-oil production from biomass. Significant present and future efforts should focus on the efficient production of bio-oil from biomass, especially in ways of improving the pretreatment methods and bio-oil upgrading phases to make it a more favorable utilization option.