Utilization Of Biomass For Energy Research Articles

Anaerobic digestion of calotropis procera for biogas production in arid and semi-arid regions: A case study of Chad

Chad is among the many African countries having the most electrification problems (8.8% access in 2019) relating to the country’s poor economy and dependency on fossil fuels. On the other hand, the utilization of biomass for energy needs has been proven successful in various economies. Calotropis Procera, a bush latex plant wildly known for its multiple merits, is abundant in Chad, with an annual average of 6.3 tons per hectare on a wet basis. However, these are considered nuisance and resources are invested in getting rid of them. This study presents the first attempt to assess the biogas potential and prospects from Calotropis Procera for energy production in Chad. Theoretical estimations, field visits and experimental approaches were employed in this study. The experimental results were favourable as it was found that the stem of the plant achieved a biogas yield of 17,744 ± 12 mL and a biomethane production of 1.439 ± 0.31 L/g.VS while its leaves produced 8500 ± 4 mL of biogas for 0.4409 ± 0.15 L/g.VS of Biomethane. Estimations showed that the average annual availability of 6.3 tons of Calotropis Procera in Chad could produce 891.61 m3 and 9150.884 m3 of biogas from the leaves and stem, respectively. The theoretical energy potential of the Calotropis Procera leaves was estimated at 4.0861 MWh/yr and that of the Calotropis Procera stem at 13.104 MWh/yr. The findings from this study are useful to complement efforts in finding sustainable energy alternatives and resources in Chad and similar contexts. Also, this gives a technical basis for further research in economic and environmental sustainability as well as for policymakers on the production of energy from Calotropis Procera towards significant gains.

Carbon Dioxide Emissions and Energy Self-Sufficiency of Woody Biomass Utilization for Residential Heating: A Case Study of Nishiwaga, Japan

Renewable energy sources, including bioenergy, are presently attracting considerable attention as possible substitutes for fossil fuels. Among the various sources of bioenergy, biomass can arguably play a significant role in the reduction of greenhouse gases and the provision of a stable energy supply. However, the use of fossil fuels continues in the production of bioenergy. Consequently, the overall extent to which biomass utilization for energy can reduce carbon dioxide emissions as a substitute for fossil fuels and whether this can improve the energy self-sufficiency rate remains largely unknown. This study responds to these questions using a case of a Japanese rural community using firewood for residential heating. The results showed that woody biomass utilization for energy is able to both reduce the dependence on fossil fuels and mitigate climate change. These findings offer new insights into the development of sustainability in rural communities.

Increased utilization of different tree parts for energy purposes in the Nordic countries

The review gives an overview of the increased utilization of forest biomass for energy. The emphasis is on Nordic countries, especially on Sweden and Finland with large biomass potentials and a high share of renewable energy in gross final energy consumption. The utilization and potential of forest chip sources such as logging residues, small-size tree stems and stumps that are normally not harvested in conventional harvesting are described. Environmental potential and impacts that may reduce the utilization of forest biomass are discussed based on recent publications. Finally, the review summarizes the future developments based on their relationship to policies, certifications and guidelines and forest owners' decisions.

Institutional framework and impact of environmental organizations on issues of woody biomass utilization for energy

The use of wood for energy purposes is becoming a very important issue and the subject of cross-sectoral interaction in the fields of energy, environment and forestry. Woody biomass has been recognized as a significant potential to replace fossil fuels. Therefore, this situation has a large impact on all aspects of the forestry sector, making it a significant research issue, as well as operational issue in forest policy. The aim of this paper is to determine the nature and intensity of the impact of strategic, legislative and organizational framework on the use of wood for en?ergy purposes. The research used qualitative and quantitative methods in order to identify the impact of environmental institutions on the issues of biomass use for energy purposes. The results show that there is a complex organizational, strategic and legal framework related to the use of biomass for energy. On the basis of impact analysis, it can be concluded that some organizations may have a different character and the intensity of impact, while the most complex impact is exercised by the ministry responsible for the environment.

Biomass Utilization Post Rio +20

Biomass Utilization Post Rio +20

A systems biology approach to understanding the regulation of lignin biosynthesis

Lignin is a complex phenolic structural component of the secondary cell walls of all vascular plants. It is an irreversible end point of a major metabolic pathway in plant secondary metabolism. Lignin is fundamental to the adaptation of plants to land, the evolution of vascular transport and the resistance of plants to pests and pathogens. Lignin is a major barrier to the utilization of biomass for energy, for papermaking, and for forage digestibility due to the interaction of lignin with cellulosics in the plant cell secondary wall. The past research on lignin biosynthesis is substantial, creating one of a few opportunities in higher plants to integrate genomics, proteomics, biochemistry, chemistry and modeling to develop a comprehensive understanding of biosynthesis and structure of a major component of morphology and adaptation. We are conducting a systems biology study on regulation of lignin biosynthesis in wood formation. We seek to build models to quantitatively illustrate how the entire pathway is organized and regulated and to reveal regulatory and metabolic flux control mechanisms, leading to lignin quantity and structures. We use the model woody plant, Populus trichocarpa (Nisqually-1), and the systems approach including advanced quantitative methods of genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, biochemistry and structural chemistry, to provide a comprehensive analysis of the regulation of lignin biosynthesis. A perturbation strategy is used to systematically knock down the expression of all pathway and regulatory genes known to be involved in lignin biosynthesis during wood formation, and the effects on lignin biosynthesis (gene transcripts, proteins, metabolites, quantity and structures) analyzed using advanced genomic methods available. This information forms the foundation of statistics-based mechanistic modeling and lignin quantity/structural predictions for a quantitative model of lignin biosynthesis. Details of systems data generation, data analyses and model development will be presented. Substantial data have been generated for gene-specific (amiRNA & RNAi) transgenic P. trichocarpa, enzyme kinetics, protein regulation and numerical modeling, and stable-isotope-dilution based absolute quantitation of proteins and of metabolites. These results will be discussed. Our long term goal is a predictive model of lignin biosynthesis and quantity/structure for greater understanding of the plant response to environmental stress and for more precise strategies to improve plant productivity and the production of energy, biomaterials and food.

Size, Moisture Content, and British Thermal Unit Value of Processed In-Woods Residues: Five Case Studies

With the increased emphasis in the utilization of biomass for energy, the interest in wood as an energy resource has moved from just mill residues to include in-woods residues. This study looked at five examples of in-woods biomass collection: two chipping operations and three grinding operations. Samples were taken from three truckloads at each operation and analyzed for particle size distribution, moisture content, British thermal unit value per ovendry pound, and ash content. The average characteristics of the processed residue were 87 percent moisture content, 7,945 Btu/lb oven dried, and 3.1 percent ash content.

Land-use change and socio-economic metabolism in Austria—Part II: land-use scenarios for 2020

In this paper, we evaluate the relations between land-use and socio-economic metabolism and particularly, socio-economic biomass flows, by constructing four scenarios for Austria in 2020. The scenarios were established using a biomass-flow model for Austria which was developed for this analysis. The model distinguishes between 15 different kinds of land use and relates demand for biomass in Austria to biomass production in Austria, considering imports and exports as well as biomass conversions in industrial processing and in livestock. We discuss four scenarios: (1) a trend scenario, based upon an extrapolation of current trends; (2) a scenario assuming the far-reaching liberalization of agricultural markets; (3) a scenario in which biomass utilization for energy and industry is maximized; and (4) a scenario based upon the approach of “cascade utilization” of biomass. We find that increasing the use of biomass as an energy source might have considerable unwanted ecological effects including, among others, a reduction in the functioning of forests as a terrestrial carbon sink.

Ecological effects of harvesting biomass for energy in the Spanish Mediterranean

Biomass utilization for energy has major consequences for Spanish Mediterranean landscapes. In this paper we present a synthesis of the ecological effects of harvesting biomass for energy. We compare these effects with other fuel reduction procedures such as prescribed burning. Throughout history we see that some Iberian ecosystems are stabilized by long human interference. One of the stabilizing factors is the utilization of wood as a source of energy. New energy sources and massive human movements towards urban areas have changed the ecosystem dynamics. Reforested areas in Spain during the period from 1940 to 1970 included silviculture treatments that in some cases never took place. This has led to a greater accumulation of biomass. The current perspective of the problem must be analyzed from an economic and political viewpoint. For instance, the Middle East crisis has direct consequences for the budget dedicated to forest energetics, and consequently for the landscape. This shows how ecological problems must be dealt with using a very broad perspective. In Spain current biomass usage should be considered primarily as a complementary silvicultural treatment rather than as a way of producing great biomass outputs. If we are going to manage our forest from an ecological perspective, we have to analyze the effects of these operations at the stand level. At the landscape level fuel management plans should be included in the Forest Management Prescriptions (ordenaciones) whether in terms of harvesting or in a prescribed burning plan.

Direct combustion energy from crops and crop residues produced in Iowa

Energy values were determined via bomb calorimetry for various crops and their residues produced from single- and double-cropping systems in Iowa. The dry-matter energy values of this biomass were in the order of 16.3 ± 2.0 MJ/kg. Considering crop moisture conditions in the field at harvest, energy values of the “as is” biomass were about 12.0 MJ/kg, or slightly less. Energy available from harvestable corn residues in Iowa exceeded that of energy required from fossil fuels used in electrical generation in the state in 1978. Biomass from a proposed double- cropping system of rye and sorghum × sudangrass grown on less than 12% of the corn hectarage in Iowa, also could have supplied all the energy required to generate electricity in Iowa annually. Utilization of biomass for energy, however, must be balanced with conservation of the land and its productivity. Calculations suggested that up to 70% of energy required for electrical generation could still be obtained from corn residues after leaving adequate amounts of residue to conserve soil resources.

Effect on the General Health of Treatment of Paradenta L Disease by Surgery

Diversification of fuel sources is imperative to address the energy security, climate change, and sustainable development issues; therefore, it is essential to address the energy crisis through the extensive utilization of abundant renewable energy resources, such as biomass energy, solar energy, wind energy and geothermal energy. Improving energy services for poor households in developing countries remains one of the most pressing challenges facing the development community. Earlier studies suggest in South Asia the households are likely to follow the energy ladder comprising fuels like dung, crop residue, firewood, kerosene, gobar gas, LPG, and electricity for cooking purposes. Evidence suggests that while it is possible to observe such transition in urban and semi-urban areas, the change is very slow in rural areas. In rural Pakistan, the access to commercial energy resources is limited, the majority of the households still heavily rely on traditional methods of using wood, animal waste and crop waste for domestic fuel needs. Efficiencies of use are very low and most of the potential is wasted because of non-scientific conventional technologies. Consequently there is an obligatory need to develop modern bio-energy technologies since renewable resources may serve to supplement the long-term energy needs of Pakistan to a significant level. Though the bio-resource base of Pakistan is substantial, its contribution to useful energy is low. In this paper we called attention to issues and challenges in biomass utilization for energy in Pakistan in context of sustainable development. This paper has identified areas in Pakistan where there is considerable scope to modernize biomass energy production delivery systems to provide varied energy carriers such as electricity, industrial and domestic fuel and gases. Barriers are examined over the whole biomass energy spectrum and policy issue and institutional roles and responsibilities are discussed.