Biomass gasification technology: The state of the art overview

Abstract

The reduction of imported forms of energy, and the conservation of the limited supply of fossil fuels, depends up on the utilization of all other available fuel energy sources. Biomass is a renewable energy source and represents a valid alternative to fossil fuels. The abundance of biomass ranks it as the third energy resource after oil and coal. Moreover, when compared to fossil fuels, biomass fuels possess negligible sulphur concentrations, produce less ash, and generate far less emissions in to the air. In other words, biomass can deliver significant greenhouse gas reductions in electricity, heat and transport fuel supply. The energy in biomass may be realized by different thermochemical technologies of which gasification is most promising alternative routes to convert biomass to power/heat generation and production of transportation fuels and chemical feedstock. This paper deals with the state of the art biomass gasification technologies, evaluating advantages and disadvantages, the potential use of the syngas and the application of the biomass gasification. Also, this paper provides short overview of the current status of the biomass gasification in Serbia.