Biomass Energy Development Research Articles

Analysis on development path of distributed utilization of biomass energy in China

Biomass energy is an important renewable energy, which comes directly or indirectly from photosynthesis of plants and is generally derived from agricultural and forestry wastes. The main characteristics of biomass wastes in China are large amount, wide distribution, low utilization rate, great development potential and high urgency of environmental management. With the exhaustion of non-renewable energy and the increasingly serious environmental pollution, the utilization technology of biomass energy needs to be developed as soon as possible. In this paper, the significance of distributed utilization of biomass energy was discussed, and the technologies of distributed utilization of biomass energy were introduced, including direct combustion technology, biochemical conversion technology (fermentation and anaerobic digestion), thermochemical conversion technology (gasification and pyrolysis), liquefaction technology, dense moulding technology and supercritical fluid conversion technology. The application of biomass conversion technology, including biomass gasification for power generation, gasification for hydrogen production, pyrolysis for hydrogen production, fermentation for fuel ethanol, pyrolysis for bio-oil, solidification for solid fuel, composting for fertilizer production, anaerobic digestion for biogas production and catalytic pyrolysis for biofuel production, was discussed. Furthermore, the development path of biomass energy industry was discussed, and the future development of biomass energy distributed utilization technology was prospected.

Analisis Kecekapan Aktiviti Penyelidikan dan Pembangunan (R&D) dalam Sektor Tenaga Boleh Diperbaharui di Malaysia

Research and development (R&D) activities in the renewable energy sector are one of the key elements under the National Renewable Energy Action Plan (NREPAP). However, renewable energy R&D activities are not considered as one of the key components of the country’s R&D program and it needs to compete with other fields to get the research funding. Although the renewable energy R&D fund received is relatively low, the output from the renewable energy R&D activities in Malaysia is seen as encouraging especially on the research publication, patent, and development of human capital. This means that the R&D activities undertaken contribute indirectly to the development of renewable energy in Malaysia. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of R&D activities in Malaysia based on five renewable energy sources, namely solar, wind, biomass, biogas, and mini hydro using the data envelopment analysis (DEA) approach from 2012 to 2017. This study used an output-oriented Charnes, Cooper, Rhodes (CCR)–DEA model with the ratio of one output and four inputs. The result of this study indicates that biomass is the most efficient renewable energy resource, while the wind is the least efficient renewable energy source from the perspective of R&D activities in Malaysia. The overall performance of renewable energy R&D activities in Malaysia is good with a score of 69.2% in 2012-2017. The results of this study are in line with the Malaysia Government's desire to develop biomass energy resources, as stated in the National Biomass Strategy 2020 initiative. The results of this study can serve as the basis for developing specific policies or strategies to strengthen R&Dactivities further to support the development of renewable energy in Malaysia.

Open for bioenergy business? Perspectives from Indigenous business leaders on biomass development potential in Canada

Canada is one of the world's top five energy producers and, within Canada's energy sector, the bioenergy economy is rapidly expanding. This research was conducted to identify perceived risks, barriers, benefits, and opportunities relating to the development of biomass energy by Indigenous business leaders and/or their communities. Eighteen Indigenous business leaders from forestry, energy, and allied natural resource sectors were interviewed to understand their perspectives on bioenergy. Results included that views on bioenergy feasibility differed between business leaders in northern versus southern Canada. There was no agreement among business leaders as to risks and benefits (neutral, positive, negative) for Indigenous businesses and communities engaging in bioenergy initiatives. Many of the benefits of bioenergy were related by participants to opportunities for increasing community self-reliance and increasing connectedness to Canadian mainstream economic and governance systems. Indigenous-led policy interventions are especially important in new industries like bioenergy in the boreal where Indigenous traditional territories, communities and businesses intersect and thus are likely to be impacted by new developments and partnerships.

关于生物质能源综合发展前景探讨

For the development of domestic livestock husbandry, how to recycle livestock and poultry manure is the most key problem. With the progress of science and technology, with agricultural organic fertilizer and rural energy as the main utilization direction, comprehensively promote the resource utilization of breeding waste, combined with the breeding scale and breeding waste treatment to give certain subsidies and rewards, set the tone for the development of biogas and biomass energy, to provide strong support for building a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way.

Does the Development of Bioenergy Exacerbate the Price Increase of Maize?

The relationship between oil prices and food prices is complex, and maize is the most prominent example. Whether the development of bioenergy will exacerbate the price increase of maize caused by the increasing price of oil is a topic that is attracting great attention. This paper studies the relationship between oil prices and maize prices. First, the effects of the development of biomass energy on maize price in theory is analyzed by constructing a theoretical model that includes the effects of the cost channel and the demand channel, while setting the maize–oil price ratio as a trigger for the demand channel. Then, this paper empirically analyzes the price data. Both theoretical and empirical analyses show the effects of the demand channel in the long term; that is, the effect of the development of bioenergy on maize prices is weak, and maize prices did not increase sharply. The effect of the cost channel is the main cause of the increases in the price of maize and other foods.

Biomass Sources and Energy Potential for Energy Sector in Myanmar: An Outlook

Nowadays, renewable energy utilization plays a key role in developing countries to fulfill the additional energy requirements of a country and reduce dependency on fossil fuels and traditional biomass consumption. As Myanmar has an agriculture-based economy and 48% of forest-cover (32.2 million hectares); biomass is one of the major renewable energy sources, contributing around 50% of total energy consumption. Therefore, the study aimed to highlight the available biomass sources and energy potential for the energy sector in Myanmar. In order to achieve the aim, the study collated the types, quantity and qualities of biomass resources, and energy utilization around Myanmar. Besides, the study synthesized and evaluated the energy potential of the major biomass resources coming from the agriculture sector, forest sector, livestock and poultry sector, and municipal sector. It was estimated that the total energy potential of the major biomass sources amounted to approximately 15.19 million tons of oil equivalent (Mtoe) in 2005 and 17.29 Mtoe in 2017, respectively. The unexploited biomass energy potential around the country was estimated to be nearly 50% higher than that of the projected biomass energy utilization during 2015–2019. Finally, the study concluded with recommendations to provide the future sustainable development of biomass energy in Myanmar.

Biomass power generation fuel procurement and storage modes evaluation: A case study in Jilin

Biomass energy has extensive application foreground in power generation because of its economic and social benefits. Aiming at selecting the best biomass fuel procurement and storage modes in Jilin province, this paper proposes an evaluation model with linguistic hesitant fuzzy sets (LHFSs), which is good at expressing the hesitancy, inconsistency and uncertainty of subjective evaluation information. Based on cloud model and three entropy principle, the transformation between linguistic hesitant fuzzy sets and comprehensive cloud model is realized. In order to eliminate interdependency among criterion, a new Choquet integral aggregation operator based on the Sigmoid function is proposed. According to the expectation values, the ranking result of aggregated LHFSs is obtained. At last, an illustrative example of modes evaluation in Jilin province is taken in the present study to make the proposed method comprehensible. The result shows that mode 3: farmer + middleman + third-party logistics + power plant, is the most reasonable mode for Jilin biomass energy development. From the perspective of supply chain, middlemen and third party logistics can reduce the procurement and transportation cost in the supply chain, which are two bigger influential factors of fuel cost. Middlemen are not only a bridge between plants and farmers, but also the operator in the supply chain. Through the analysis of the result, suggestions from the perspective of power plants and the government are given.

Pengembangan Penggunaan Energi Biomassa pada Sektor Rumah Tangga dan Dampaknya pada Beban Subsidi Elpiji dan Kesehatan Keluarga Miskin

To overcome the problem of fuel dependence from imports and reduce the burden of fuel subsidies in the APBN, starting in 2007 the Government has implemented a conversion program for fuel use in the household sector from kerosene to LPG. The program has been running successfully. However, the same problem as before reappeared. The higher LPG needs depend on imports, reaching 70 percent of total consumption. Likewise, the burden of LPG subsidies in the state budget is even higher. Indonesia has the potential to produce abundant biomass energy and has been used as household fuel, especially in rural areas. However, the utilization is still by burning firewood using traditional inefficient combustion stoves that produce air pollutant that causing a negative impact on family health. Changes in the way biomass energy are used through the transformation of biomass into pellets and the use of technology biomass stoves can overcome the problems. This paper aims to analyze and provide policy recommendations to develop biomass energy utilization in households in a healthy manner and can improve combustion efficiency. The widespread use of biomass energy by households will reduce the dependence on LPG imports and reduce the burden of subsidies in the state budget.

Comparisons of Acid and Water Solubilities of Rice Straw Ash Together with Its Major Ash-Forming Elements at Different Ashing Temperatures: An Experimental Study

Recycling utilization of straw ash as a fertilizer in farmland is expected to play an important role in the sustainable development of both agriculture and biomass energy. However, the ashing temperature and the aqueous solution characteristics may affect the recycling properties of the nutrients contained in the ash. The solubilities of both the ash and its elements can represent the above recycling properties. This paper presents a systematic experimental investigation on the acid solubilities of both rice straw ash and its major elements produced from combustion at 400–800 °C, and these findings are compared with the corresponding water solubilities obtained from the authors’ previous work. Meanwhile, the correlations of two solubilities with the ashing temperature were given based on the experimental data. Results show that the acid solubility of rice straw ash decreases linearly by approximately 76% as the ashing temperature increases from 400 to 800 °C, while it is significantly higher than the corresponding water solubility at different temperatures. The acid solubilities of K, P, Ca, Mg, and Na are higher than their water solubilities, whereas two solubilities of S and Cl have almost no dependence on the temperature and the acidity of solution. This study also reveals a strong negative linear relationship between the solubility of K and the temperature. The solubilities of other elements (P, S, Na, Ca, Mg, and Cl) with the temperature have quadratic curve or cubic curve relationships. Furthermore, it is recommended that the ashing temperature should be lower than 600 °C to avoid the loss of some nutrients in the straw ash.

Plasma electrolytic liquefaction of sawdust**Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 51877184).

As a renewable carbon resource, biomass can be converted into polyols, aromatic hydrocarbons, alkanes, and other products by traditional catalytic liquefaction method, which has been widely used in production and life. The efficient development and utilization of biomass energy will play a very positive role in solving the problems of energy and ecological environment. A way of combining the plasma electrolysis with traditional catalytic liquefaction realizes the efficient liquefaction of sawdust, which provides a new liquefaction way for traditional biomass conversion. In this experiment, the effects of solution composition, catalyst content and power supply on solution resistance and liquefaction rate are analyzed. It is found that solution composition and catalyst content have a great influence on solution resistance. The results show that the liquefaction rate is highest and the resistance is smallest when the solution resistance is 500 Ω. The liquefaction rate is greatly affected by the solution temperature, and the solution temperature is determined by the output power between the two electrodes. The output power includes the heating power of the electric field and the discharge power of the plasma. We measure the electric potential field distribution in the solution and the plasma power. It is found that the output power between the two poles increases nonlinearly (from 0 to 270 W) with time. In two minutes, the electric field heating power increases from 0 to 105 W and then decreases to 70 W, while the plasma power increases from 0 to 200 W. It is well known that in the first 70 seconds of the experiment the electric field heating is dominant, and then the plasma heating turns into a main thermal source. In this paper, plasma electrolysis and traditional catalytic liquefaction are combined to achieve the efficient liquefaction of sawdust, which provides a new way for biomass liquefaction.

Energy Utilization Potential of Wheat Straw in an Ecological Balance—A Case Study of Henan Province in China

Minimum volume of straw should be retained in collecting wheat straw in order to obtain sustainable agricultural biomass energy and measure the energy utilization potential of wheat straw when considering ecological balance. Based on relevant literature, this paper calculates the minimum, medium, and maximum volume of wheat straw retention in various types of soil and designs three different scenarios of minimum, medium, and maximum wheat straw retention. Taking Henan province in China as a case, this paper calculates the potential of wheat straw for energy utilization using linear regression method and scenario analysis, with consideration of influencing factors such as the harvest coefficient and combustion ratio of wheat straw. The results show that the energy utilization potential of wheat straw in Henan province in 2020, 2030, 2050 are 13.77, 16.48, 22.54 million tons of coal equivalent (TCEs), respectively, in the minimum retention scenario, assuming that wheat straw is not directly used for combustion. Excessive straw left in the field causes resource waste and produces CH4 and other greenhouse gases. This paper finds that energy potential of wheat straw for energy utilization is limited when ecological balance is considered, however, it is beneficial to the sustainable development of crop biomass energy.

Research progress of biomass fuel upgrading and distributed utilization technology

The study, development and application of biomass energy and alternative petroleum products are effective ways to ensure energy provision, reduce the dependence on fossil energy and resolve the future energy problems. The characteristics of biomass fuel were analyzed, and the upgrading methods of biomass fuels were discussed. Furthermore, the recent technologies of biomass conversion and utilization inland and abroad are reviewed from aspects of direct combustion, biochemical conversion (fermentation and anaerobic digestion), thermal chemical conversion technology (gasification, pyrolysis), liquefaction, compact molding, and supercritical fluid conversion. The application of biomass conversion technologies is presented including biomass gasification to generate electricity, gasification to produce hydrogen, thermal cracking to produce hydrogen, fermentation to produce fuel ethanol, thermal cracking to produce bio-oil, compact molding to produce solid fuel, fermentation of compost to produce fertilizer, anaerobic digestion to produce biogas, catalytic cracking to produce biofuel, and so on. Finally, the development of biomass energy distributed utilization technology is prospected.

The preparation of liquefied bio-stalk carbon nanofibers and their application in supercapacitors.

Carbon nanofibers (CNFs) have been widely used in electrochemical energy storage devices because of their excellent conductivity, extremely large surface area and structural stability. Herein, we obtained a viscous, liquefied bio-stalk carbon via the simple chemical treatment of biomass, and mixed it with polyacrylonitrile to prepare a spinning solution. Subsequent electrospinning and high temperature activation resulted in the successful preparation of liquefied lignin-based activated carbon nanofibers. The as-prepared liquefied bio-stalk carbon nanofibers exhibited an outstanding electrochemical performance (specific capacitance of 273 F g−1 at 0.5 A g−1 current density), and a capacitance retention of 210 F g−1 even under a large current density of 10 A g−1. Besides its high specific capacitance and outstanding rate capability, the symmetrical supercapacitor cell based on the liquefied carbon-based nanofiber electrodes also exhibited an excellent cycling performance with 92.76% capacitance retention after 5000 charge–discharge cycles. This study provides a new strategy for the future development of supercapacitor electrode materials and enhances the development of biomass energy.

Research on Potential Evaluation and Sustainable Development of Rural Biomass Energy in Gansu Province of China

The development and utilization of renewable energy is an important way to solve the environmental dilemma. Biomass energy is a kind of renewable energy and one of the most widely distributed and easily accessible energy forms. It has currently become a main direction of renewable energy development. This paper took Gansu Province of China as the research object to calculate its theoretical reserves of biomass energy resources and then evaluate its potential of biomass energy development by using TOPSIS method under different agricultural development and geographical environmental conditions. Spatial autocorrelation analysis was also performed to reveal the spatial distribution and temporal evolution of the potential of biomass energy development in Gansu Province. The results show that: (1) The total reserves of biomass energy resources from agricultural wastes in Gansu Province reach 7.28 × 107 t/year, with equivalent biogas production of about 1.95 × 1010 m3/year. (2) In most counties of Gansu Province, the Ci value is smaller than 0.5000, indicating that the potential of biomass energy development is relatively low in Gansu Province. (3) The spatial agglomeration of biomass energy development potential occurs mainly in the Hexi area, the Gannan area and the Loess Plateau area of East Gansu Province. (4) There is an area with obvious high-low (H-L) agglomeration of biomass energy development potential to the north-west side of the Gannan area with low-low (L-L) agglomeration of biomass energy development potential. It is a key zone to help drive biomass energy development in the Gannan area. (5) The spatial range of positive correlation (high-high and low-low agglomeration) areas shrunk during the evaluation period.

Development of renewable biomass energy by catalytic gasification: Syngas production for environmental management

ABSTRACTGasification is a process in which biomass is decomposed into small quantities of solid char and ash and large quantities of gaseous products in the presence of one or more fluidizing agents. In this paper, a lab scale fluidized bed gasifier was used to explore the effects of different kinds of calcined dolomites (CD-1, CD-2, and CD-3) on tar conversion and composition during air-steam gasification of biomass. Results showed that all dolomites have a good performance in terms of tar reduction but CD-2 is more reactive than two other dolomites with respect to tar destruction. When the temperature was lower than 850◦C, conversion of tar was relatively low; however, with temperature increasing further (>850 ◦C), tar conversion was greatly enhanced.

Preparation and electrochemical performance of electrospun biomass-based activated carbon nanofibers

Biomass-based nanofibers were prepared by electrospinning a mixture of polyacrylonitrile and acid-treated biomass from industrial hemp straw. The as-prepared biomass-based nanofibers were then carbonized and activated by high-temperature carbonization and KOH to obtain the activated biomass-based carbon nanofibers. The scanning electron microscopy images show that the precursors and carbon nanofibers are composed of fibers 179 nm in diameter, and the nitrogen adsorption/desorption measurements indicate that the carbon nanofibers possess a high-specific surface area of 2348.73 m2·g−1. The carbon nanofibers exhibit excellent electrical performance. The specific capacitance is as high as 244.8 F·g−1 at a current density of 1 A·g−1. The specific capacitance remains at 96% after 3000 cycles of charge and discharge at a current density of 2 A·g−1, showing excellent cycle stability. This work provides new ideas for the future development of supercapacitors electrode materials and enhances the development of biomass energy.

Effects of population density of a village and town system on the transportation cost for a biomass combined heat and power plant

Combined heat and power (CHP) generation can meet winter heating demands. Therefore, biomass CHP plants are more suitable for the development of biomass energy in village and town systems in cold regions. Transportation cost is one of the factors that determine operating costs. In this study, potential biomass energy is estimated based on the distribution of various types of crops. The locations and service areas of biomass CHP plants are determined using geographic information system analysis tools based on population distribution and energy demand data. Equations that contain multiple interference factors are used to calculate the raw material supply area and transportation cost for a biomass CHP plant to generate an optimal transportation route within a region. The analysis results show that biomass CHP plants are only suitable for village and town systems with a relatively low population density (PD). The curve of the supply area versus the PD of the village and town system (PDVTS) has an inverse-S shape. The transportation cost increases exponentially as the PDVTS increases. Biomass CHP plants can achieve higher efficiency in transportation costs when built in areas with a PDVTS ≤ 65 people/km2.

Research on biomass energy and environment from the past to the future: A bibliometric analysis

The development and utilization of biomass energy can help to change the ways of energy production and consumption and establish a sustainable energy system that can effectively promote the development of the national economy and strengthen the protection of the environment. Here,we perform a bibliometric analysis of 9514 literature reports in the Web of Science Core Collection searched with the key words “Biomass energy” and “Environment*” date from 1998 to 2017; hot topics in the research and development of biomass energy utilization, as well as the status and development trends of biomass energy utilization and the environment, were analyzed based on content analysis and bibliometrics. The interaction between biomass energy and the environment began to become a major concern as the research progressively deepened. This work is of great significance for the development and utilization of biomass energy to put forward specific suggestions and strategies based on the analysis and demonstration of relationships and interactions between biomass energy utilization and environment. It is also useful to researchers for selecting the future research topics.

Examining the efficiency of biomass energy: Evidence from the Chinese recycling industry

Developing biomass energy could help to solve problems which limit the sustainable development of human society. These problems include environmental degradation and resource depletion. Using the stochastic frontier analysis model, we conducted an empirical analysis of technical efficiency for the recycling industry and the factors that impact it in 20 provinces in China. We found that technical efficiency is at a moderate level. There are large gaps in efficiency among the eastern, central and western regions. Technical efficiency is highest in the eastern provinces. Ownership structure and technical efficiency exhibit a significant inverted "U" shaped correlation. While urbanization does not affect technical efficiency, economic, industrial and education levels do have a positive impact on it. Based on the results of our study we have proposed a number of policies to promote the development of the recycling industry.

Biomass Utilization as Renewable Energy for Optimization of National Energy Mix

Indonesia still relies heavily on energy derived from fossil fuels, especially petroleum and coal. The large share of fossil energy in the national energy mix can have a negative impact on national development, as it increases the dependence of national energy supplies from imports and increases in greenhouse gas emissions, carbon dioxide. The Government of Indonesia has issued a national energy policy whose goal is to achieve an optimal national energy mix, which is to reduce the share of fossil fuels and increase the use of renewable energy. Indonesia has the potential to produce abundant biomass as renewable energy and can use it to replace fossil fuels. However, the development and utilization of biomass as an energy source is still very small compared to its potential. Biomass energy development policy has begun to receive attention from the government, although it is still focused on the development and use of liquid biofuels, especially palm oil-based biodiesel. There is no clear policy to support the development and utilization of solid biomass to meet national energy needs. Meanwhile, foreign countries, Korea for example, have developed a strategy to utilize Indonesia's biomass as fuel for their power plants. As a country with huge biomass potential, it is ironic that Indonesia has not used biomass as a source of energy to support development, while other countries use it. This paper aims toprovide policy recommendations for developing biomass energy, both in terms of production capacity and demand for use in the country.