Sustainable Biomass Resources Research Articles

Dicationic ionic liquids as sustainable approach for direct conversion of cellulose to levulinic acid

The conversion of cellulose to platform chemicals and renewable energies is the most promising and sustainable route to solve the crisis of fossil fuel resources. With this aim, the one-pot conversion of cellulose to industrial important levulinic acid (LA) using dicationic ionic liquids as a catalyst has been investigated. In the present research work, dicationic ionic liquids, containing 1,1-bis(3-methylimidazolium-1-yl) butylene ([C4(Mim)2]) cation with counter anions hydrogensulfate, dihydrogensulfate, methanesulfonate, and trifluoromethanesulfonate has been synthesized and applied for one-pot conversion of cellulose to LA. The structures, thermal stability, and acidity of ILs were determined by 1H NMR, CHNS values, thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) and Hammet acidity function, respectively. Among the synthesized ionic liquids, [C4(Mim)2][(2HSO4)(H2SO4)2] showed higher catalytic activity for conversion of cellulose to LA (55%) without using any additional catalyst or solvent at 100 °C for 3 h, which is the best result compared to previous reports. A mechanism to explain the reaction route toward LA formation is proposed. Moreover, the recycling of IL was easily achieved without structural changes or any impurities. This one-pot production of levulinic acid from untreated cellulose will open new opportunity for the conversion of sustainable biomass resources into valuable chemicals.

“One-pot” conversions of carbohydrates to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural using Sn-ceramic powder and hydrochloric acid

5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), converted from sustainable biomass resources, is a versatile intermediate in chemical industry. A kind of ceramic powder containing Sn4+ ions (Sn-CP) with good hardness was synthesized by a rapid method for the isomerization of glucose. HCl was introduced for catalysing the fructose-to-HMF reaction and promoting the isomerization reaction. Production of HMF from glucose catalysed by Sn-CP/HCl demonstrated high HMF yield (63.9%) and effective catalyst recyclability (HMF yield >53.7%). Moreover, when fructose and poly-saccharides (sucrose, inulin, starch and maltose) as feedstocks, HMF yields of more than 55% were obtained. Hence integration of catalytic reaction and conversion of carbohydrates to HMF provided a green process over inexpensive catalyst.

Biochemical Production and Separation of Carboxylic Acids for Biorefinery Applications

Carboxylic acids are traditionally produced from fossil fuels and have significant applications in the chemical, pharmaceutical, food, and fuel industries. Significant progress has been made in replacing such fossil fuel sources used for production of carboxylic acids with sustainable and renewable biomass resources. However, the merits and demerits of each carboxylic acid processing platform are dependent on the application of the final product in the industry. There are a number of studies that indicate that separation processes account for over 30% of the total processing costs in such processes. This review focuses on the sustainable processing of biomass resources to produce carboxylic acids. The primary focus of the review will be on a discussion of and comparison between existing biochemical processes for producing lower-chain fatty acids such as acetic-, propionic-, butyric-, and lactic acids. The significance of these acids stems from the recent progress in catalytic upgrading to produce biofuels apart from the current applications of the carboxylic acids in the food, pharmaceutical, and plastics sectors. A significant part of the review will discuss current state-of-art of techniques for separation and purification of these acids from fermentation broths for further downstream processing to produce high-value products.

Effective production of fermentable sugars from brown macroalgae biomass.

Brown macroalgae are renewable and sustainable biomass resources for the production of biofuels and chemicals, owing to their high levels of carbohydrates and low levels of lignin. To increase the biological usage of brown macroalgae, it is necessary to depolymerize the polysaccharides that generate macroalgal monomeric sugars or sugar derivatives and to convert them into fermentable sugars for the production of biofuels and chemicals. In this review, we discuss the chemical and enzymatic saccharification of the major carbohydrates found in brown macroalgae and the use of the resulting constituents in the production of biofuels and chemicals, as well as high-value health-benefiting functional oligosaccharides and sugars. We also discuss recently reported experimental results, novel enzymes, and technological breakthroughs that are related to polysaccharide depolymerization, fermentable sugar production, and the biological conversion of non-favorable sugars for fermentation using industrial microorganisms. This review provides a comprehensive perspective of the efficient utilization of brown macroalgae as renewable resources for the production of biofuels and chemicals.

Opportunities for Bio Fuels - Indian Scenario

Sustainable biomass resource has been receiving much attention worldwide due to the depletion of raw material for fossil fuels. However, for proper and optimal exploitation of the available biomass, there is a need to quantify the district-wise availability of biomass in our Country and to prepare a zone-wise recommendation for adopting appropriate technologies for converting the biomass into biofuels.Earlier in 2007-08, TIFAC had carried out an in-depth nationwide survey on biomass generation, consumption, costing patterns and surplus availability from select agro & forest residues. Subsequently, a ‘Centre for Biofuels’ has been set up at National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science & Technology (NIIST), Thiruvananthapuram towards undertaking cutting edge research activities in bio-refinery related technologies. Six biomass feedstock were identified for their abundant availability in India. The Lignocellulosic (LC) ethanol pilot plant with a biomass processing capacity of 80 kg/ day has been completed, wherein the first phase focused on detailed laboratory scale studies for select Indian biomass. The second phase would primarily deal with the validation of laboratory scale data at pilot plant for techno-economic analysis of LC ethanol.TIFAC has recently taken up the task of mapping the current biomass availability and also to assess the technologies for their conversion to biofuel before coming up with zone-wise recommendations. TIFAC would source inputs from both secondary as well as primary research including those from GIS and remote sensing. Automated updation of biomass availability based on current data is also being planned. The paper presents TIFAC initiatives in the biofuel sector – past and present besides recapitulating the technology trend in biofuels sector.

Solid biomass within the energy system of Eastern Paraguay—status and consequences

In 2012, solid biomass accounted for roughly 46 % of the total final energy consumed in Paraguay. However, the provision of such biomass (mainly wood fuels) is quite an informal sector. Also, the data about the provision and use of solid biomass published by official institutions do not reflect reality and in some cases they are even contradictory. Thus, this paper aims to provide a bottom-up assessment of sustainable solid biomass resource availability as well as the demand for covering part of the given energy requirements in the Eastern part of Paraguay. The results of this approach show a strong imbalance between the supply (9.5 million tons) and demand (15.4 million tons) of solid biomass from sustainable production (2012). Therefore, the main conclusion of this assessment is the urgent necessity to implement a consistent program for forestry development, and management to allow for a sustainable provision of solid biomass in the future.

Advantages and disadvantages of composition and properties of biomass in comparison with coal: An overview

Abstract An extended overview of the advantages and disadvantages of biomass composition and properties for biofuel application was conducted based on reference peer-reviewed data plus own investigations. Initially, some general considerations and comparisons about composition and properties of biomass and coal as the most popular solid fuel are addressed. Then, some of the major advantages related to the composition and properties of biomass and/or biomass ash (BA) are discussed. They include: (1) high values of volatile matter, H, structural organic components, extractives and reactivity of biomass, water-soluble nutrient elements and alkaline-earth elements in biomass and BA, and pH of BA; and (2) low values of C, fixed C, ash, N, S, Si and initial ignition and combustion temperatures of biomass, and low contents of many trace elements including hazardous ones in biomass and BA. Further, some of the major disadvantages connected with the composition and properties of biomass and/or BA are described. They comprise: (1) high values of moisture and O in biomass, water-soluble fraction, alkaline and halogen elements, and some hazardous trace elements in biomass and BA; (2) low values of energy density (bulk density and calorific value), pH and ash-fusion temperatures of biomass, and bulk density and size of BA; (3) highly variable composition and properties of biomass and BA; and (4) indefinite availability of sustainable biomass resources for production of biofuels. Finally, a discussion about the availability of sustainable biomass resources for production of biofuels and biochemicals is given. It was found that the disadvantages of biomass for biofuel and biochemical applications prevail over the advantages; however, the major environmental, economic and social benefits appear to compensate the technological and other barriers caused by the unfavourable composition and properties of biomass.

Fire in the woods or fire in the boiler: Implementing rural district heating to reduce wildfire risks in the forest–urban interface

Many rural communities in British Columbia (western Canada) are at risk from wildfire. This risk will increase over time as a result of climate change because of higher average temperatures, longer growing seasons, and more intense droughts. On the other hand, these communities are also faced with rising fuel costs and a growing demand for heat as suburban population increases. The fact these communities are surrounded by forests presents an opportunity to combine community wildfire risk abatement with bioenergy development. Additional co-benefits include: (1) reduced community energy expenditures; (2) the creation of local jobs; (3) climate change mitigation; and (4) increased community energy security. Here, we present results from three pilot rural communities (Burns Lake, Invermere, and Sicamous, all of them in British Columbia) designed to evaluate the feasibility of wildfire risk abatement in conjunction with bioenergy production. Maps were created showing each community's forest–urban interface area with quantified estimates of its sustainable woody biomass resource potential under different management scenarios while monitoring ecosystem and soil health. The results and experience gained through this work has been synthesized in a calculator tool to help other communities make their own screening-level assessments. This calculator is a freely available on-line tool: FIRST Heat.

Overview of anaerobic digestion process for biofuels production from marine macroalgae: A developmental perspective on brown algae

Meeting renewable energy policies (such as Renewable Portfolio Standard, RPS and Renewable Fuels Standard, RFS) requires development of a large sustainable biomass resource; macroalgae could be a potential contributor towards this policy to produce biofuels. In particular, massive brown algae have been considered a promising biomass to accomplish the biofuel goals in the nearest future. The most direct route to producing biofuels from brown algae is via anaerobic digestion (AD) process. Although the application of brown algae for AD process is still at an early stage, there is almost no technical barrier to the process, particularly as an additional feedstock for existing AD may contribute to the fast development of industrial biofuel application. This review provides an overall perspective required for an advanced assessment of the development of brown algae as a sustainable biofuel resource from the AD process.

Rapeseed pellet - a byproduct of biodiesel production - as an excellent renewable energy source / Wytłoki rzepakowe - produkt uboczny w produkcji biodiesla - jako doskonałe źródło energii odnawialnej

Abstract Vegetable oils are renewable feedstock currently being used for production of biofuels from sustainable biomass resources. The existing technology for producing diesel fuel from plant oils, such as rapeseed, soybean, canola and palm oil are largely centered on transesterification of oils with methanol to produce fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) or biodiesel. Rapeseed pellet - crushed seed residue from oil extraction is a byproduct of biodiesel production process. As other types of biomass, it can either be burned directly in furnaces or processed to increase its energetic value. The interest to use different types of biomass as fuels has grown rapidly during the last years as a mean to reduce the CO2 emissions of energy production. Biomass is renewable, abundant and has domestic usage, the sources of biomass can help the world reduce its dependence on petroleum products and natural gas. Energetically effective utilization of rapeseed pellet could substantially improve the economic balance of an individual household in which biodiesel for fulfilling the producer’s own energetic demand is obtained. In this article the experimental results of analyzing the emissions levels of different pollutants in exhaust fumes during different stages of biomass boiler operation were presented. It has been proved that that the pellet, a byproduct of biodiesel production, is an excellent renewable and environmentally-friendly energy source, especially viable for use in household tap water heating installations.

Macro-economic impact of large-scale deployment of biomass resources for energy and materials on a national level—A combined approach for the Netherlands

Biomass is considered one of the most important options in the transition to a sustainable energy system with reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and increased security of enegry supply. In order to facilitate this transition with targeted policies and implementation strategies, it is of vital importance to understand the economic benefits, uncertainties and risks of this transition. This article presents a quantification of the economic impacts on value added, employment shares and the trade balance as well as required biomass and avoided primary energy and greenhouse gases related to large scale biomass deployment on a country level (the Netherlands) for different future scenarios to 2030. This is done by using the macro-economic computable general equilibrium (CGE) model LEITAP, capable of quantifying direct and indirect effects of a bio-based economy combined with a spread sheet tool to address underlying technological details. Although the combined approach has limitations, the results of the projections show that substitution of fossil energy carriers by biomass, could have positive economic effects, as well as reducing GHG emissions and fossil energy requirement. Key factors to achieve these targets are enhanced technological development and the import of sustainable biomass resources to the Netherlands.

Dichrostachys cinerea as a possible energy crop—facts and figures

Biomass contributes already with more than 10% to cover the global energy demand. This contribution will continue to grow in the years to come due to increasing fossil fuel prices and climate protection. To make this happen, additional sustainable biomass resources must become available to be used as a source of energy. Against this background, the goal of this paper is it to analyse the properties of Dichrostachys cinerea (Marabu) as an energy crop. The investigation shows that this wood is characterised by properties comparable with other types of woody biomass with a longer crop period. Only the ash content is slightly higher. In addition, the airborne emissions released during combustion are relatively low in general. Thus, wood from D. cinerea (Marabu) can be seen as a promising fuel.

Legumes for mitigation of climate change and the provision of feedstock for biofuels and biorefineries. A review

Legumes for mitigation of climate change and the provision of feedstock for biofuels and biorefineries. A review

Assessment of sustainable biomass resource for energy use in China

This paper assesses the sustainable biomass resource for energy in China. Assessment has been carried out for the following resources: (i) agricultural residues, (ii) forest residues, and (iii) municipal solid waste (MSW). The potential of each resource is estimated for the base years 2008, 2008, and 2007. The energy potentials of these resources in 2008, 2008, and 2007 are estimated to be 14.7, 3.9, and 0.2 EJ, respectively. The total potential including the energy of 6.4 EJ from the proposed low-input high-diversity (LIHD) grassland biomass on the untilled lands for the base years 1996 is equal to about 30.2% of China’s energy consumption in 2008. Furthermore it is projected that sustainable biomass use for energy will reduce net emissions of green house gases (GHG) of 3276.7 million tonnes, and help in emission-reduction target of China and the world.

GHG profiles for distillate fuels produced from conventional petroleum, oil sands, shale oil and XtL

Abstract The potential impacts of climate change, recent world events, and a dramatic rise in oil prices have resulted in renewed interest in alternative transportation fuels. When considering the many options, tradeoffs exist between environmental, energy security and economic concerns. A portfolio of multiple alternatives that balances these concerns may turn out to be the most prudent. In particular, the coupling of conventional and non-conventional fossil resources with carbon sequestration and renewable biomass may mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from fossil carbon-intensive resources, while providing economic and security benefits. To achieve this result, it is very desirable that all resources employed produce fungible fuel blending components, so that single, specificationfuels can be easily supplied. As a first step in examining the alternatives, it is necessary to establish baseline lifecycle greenhouse-gas emissions profiles for current and future alternative-transportation fuel supply-chains. JM Energy Consulting has been working with clients involved in development of alternative fuels technology to establish such baselines. This paper presents some results from these analyses, which examine both conventional and non-conventional resources for the production of jet and automotive diesel fuels. The primary focus here is on the upgrading/refining step that converts the energy resource as produced into finished distillate fuels. A bottom-up approach is taken to estimating GHG emissions using process-level data and models. This approach not only allows the carbon footprint of the various fuel chains to be distinguished, but also provides valuable insights relative to the carbon intensity of the various upgrading and refining steps required to produce specification distillate fuel blends. Resources considered here are seven classes of conventional crude oils, bitumen, shale oil, and three XtL feedstocks, natural gas, bituminous and subbituminous coal. Also briefly discussed are opportunities for co-processing of sustainable biomass resources and the capture and sequestration of CO2 generated during processing.

06/00894 Assessment of sustainable non-plantation biomass resources potential for energy in India: Ravindranath, N. H. et al. Biomass and Bioenergy, 2005, 29, (3), 178–190.

06/00894 Assessment of sustainable non-plantation biomass resources potential for energy in India: Ravindranath, N. H. et al. Biomass and Bioenergy, 2005, 29, (3), 178–190.

Assessment of sustainable non-plantation biomass resources potential for energy in India

In India, fuelwood, crop residues and animal manure are the dominant biomass fuels, which are mostly used in the rural areas, at very low efficiencies. Industrial and municipal (urban) residues such as waste water, municipal solid wastes (MSW), and crop residues such as rice husk and bagasse can also be used for energy generation. In this paper, the potential of energy from crop residues, animal manure, MSW,industrial waste water and biomass fuels that can be conserved for other applications through efficiency improvement is discussed. The total potential of energy from these sources in 1997 is estimated to be equivalent to 5.14 EJ, which amounts to a little more than a-third of the total fossil fuel use in India. The energy potential in 2010 is estimated to be about 8.26 EJ.

The effect of collection and cooling conditions on water transport characteristics of equine spermatozoa

Recently, two-way oil/water separation materials bearing both “water-removing” and “oil-removing” functions are of great interest for treating environmental water pollution. Despite having switchable surface wettability, these materials are generally designed to possess superhydrophilicity in air, which, standing on the viewpoint of thermodynamics, is unstable and easy to lose the superwetting property. Concerning the full exploitation of sustainable biomass resources, herein, we use soy protein and ramie fiber to fabricate a cross-linked biocomposite whose amphiphilicity can be tuned by introducing a low surface-energy agent, octadecylamine. The resultant composite can be used as a coating for stainless steel meshes, preparing stably hydrophobic surface in air as well as achieving dual superlyophobicity under liquid that is required for efficiently separating light and heavy oils from water. Furthermore, a high separation efficiency is acquired for both light oil/water and heavy oil/water mixtures during cyclic usage. Notably, the fully bio-based coating displays high resistance against mechanical abrasion and harsh chemical corrosions (acid, alkaline, and salt) without losing high separation efficiency, indicating the potential application of such material in oily wastewater treatment.

96/03970 Strategles for achieving a sustainable, clean and cost-effective biomass resource

96/03970 Strategles for achieving a sustainable, clean and cost-effective biomass resource

Strategies for achieving a sustainable, clean and cost-effective biomass resource

Biomass, produced in an economically and environmentally sustainable manner, could realistically be used to supply 50,000 MW (5 quads) of electric capacity by the year 2010, and probably twice that amount by the year 2030. Since 1992, the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) have each been independently evaluating the potential for biomass to become a major renewable energy resource over the next four decades, capable of offsetting some of the U.S. dependency on fossil fuels while also offering important environmental and economic benefits. This paper presents EPRI's conclusions, which are more conservative than those of the U.S. DOE, and outlines possible strategies by which EPRI can advance acceptance of biomass as a preferred renewable resource.