Sustainable Energy via Thermochemical and Biochemical Conversion of Biomass Wastes for Biofuel Production

Abstract

Environmental pollution is one of the major disadvantages of fossil fuel and their derivatives, but alternative energy resources have performed better in this area. A well-known example within these alternative energy sources that can increase total available energy for human’s consumption is biomass, and it has been proven to be the most important renewable energy source. Its benefits include reduced emission, ease of growth (agricultural materials), more available when compared to non-renewable sources of energy and can be directly used by local methods. Biomass wastes heating is a major energy generation process. Processes that use heat on biomass wastes to generate energy are termed thermochemical conversion processes. The use of wood that store chemical energy in cooking is as far back as the creation of the world. Thermochemical conversion of biomass releases products which are extremely best when compared with other renewable energy source finding usefulness in automobile, power, chemical, production, and biomaterials industries. Pyrolysis is a heating process whereby carbon-based matter (organic material) such as lignocellulosic agricultural waste is heated to 450 °C and above in a non-O2 atmosphere, e.g., N2 atmosphere. Oxygen or air supports biomass combustion to generate heat, steam, and electricity. Gasification occurs at > 650 °C; it is a method of converting biomass waste into energy with the sole purpose of generating syngas useful for combustion, heating, and electricity generation. Liquefaction is a method of converting coal/biomass to petroleum through series of chemical reactions. Bio-oil, syngas, and char are useful products with stored chemical energy obtained from via thermochemical conversion. Biochemical conversion of biomass refers to the gradual and continuous release of biofuel from biomass waste through the activity of microorganisms and enzymes. Thermal and biochemical conversions are suitable processes to tap unused energy in largely available lignocellulosic biomass wastes to reduce reliance on the use of non-renewable fossil fuels as source of energy.