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A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "A4: Bio-Energy".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2022) | Viewed by 23376

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Dr. Zdzisława Romanowska-Duda

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Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Banacha St. 12/16, 90-237 Lodz, Poland
Interests: sustainable plant production; environment protection; circular plant production; waste as fertilizers; macrophytes; algae
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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One of the greatest problems society is facing today is increasing energy consumption, which ,combined with the urgent need to limit the use of fossil fuels, forces the development of new technologies of biomass production convertible into energy. For this reason, research is necessary to select plants having high potential of energy yield and to develop their production technologies that will be friendly to the environment. This applies to the production of both energy plants transferred directly to thermal energy or as a raw material in biogas plants, as well as algae and aquatic plants whose biomass can be an effective source of energy. In the face of increasing environmental pollution, it is necessary to develop new guidelines for the sustainable and economic production of these plants and obtaining energy from them in a closed cycle, using the resulting waste in the next stage as an alternative to fertilizers and chemical media.

This Special Issue aims to contribute to the realization of sustainable production in the closed cycle of energy, energy crops, algae, and macrophytes by increasing scientific and multidisciplinary knowledge and implementing it into practice to improve the efficiency of the energy economy and protect the environment against global pollution. Therefore, we invite articles on innovative methods of sustainable energy production and biomass, beneficial for the environment.

Prof. Dr. Zdzisława Romanowska-Duda
Guest Editor

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Keywords

Closed cycle energy production
Sustainable biomass production
Energy crops
Algae
Water macrophytes
Waste as fertilizers
Environment protection

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 2295 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Optimization of Microalgal Biomass Production in Vertical Tubular Photobioreactors

by Małgorzata Hawrot-Paw and Magdalena Sąsiadek

Energies 2023, 16(5), 2429; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16052429 - 3 Mar 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2177

Abstract

Microalgal biomass is a promising alternative and renewable substrate for bioenergy production. The main problem for its commercial application is to obtain and keep a high level of production by providing microalgae with appropriate conditions for growth. The aim of this study was to determine optimal culture conditions such as temperature, photoperiod, and pH. The amount of biomass by gravimetry, optical density by spectrophotometry, and productivity were analyzed. Suitable values of cultivation parameters allowed for the increased growth and biomass productivity of Arthrospira platensis (4.24 g·L⁻¹), Chlamydomonas reinchardtii (1.19 g·L⁻¹), Chlorella vulgaris (2.37 g·L⁻¹), and Dunaliella salina (4.50 g·L⁻¹) and optical density for Ch. reinchardtii and C. vulgaris. These species had maximum biomass productivity of 0.72, 0.12, 0.36, and 0.77 g·L⁻¹·d⁻¹, respectively. Productivity was determined by cultivation temperature and for Ch. reinchardtii also by pH. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Bioenergy Feedstock Production)

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17 pages, 13254 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Form of the Occurrence of Aluminium in Municipal Solid Waste Incineration Residue—Even Hydrogen Is Lost

by Marek Michalik, Monika Kasina, Bartłomiej Kajdas and Piotr Kowalski

Energies 2022, 15(21), 8186; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15218186 - 2 Nov 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1215

Abstract

In the bottom ash (BA) of municipal solid waste incineration, the content of iron and aluminum is relatively high. The efficiency of eddy current extraction of non-ferrous metals (including aluminium) routinely used in incineration plants is limited. The determination of the form of occurrence of aluminium or aluminium-rich components in BA is important in terms of its recovery or utilisation. BA from a newly built incineration plant in Poland was analysed using chemical analysis, X-ray diffraction, optical microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy with chemical microanalysis. Samples of water-quenched BA were analysed. For comparison, a non-quenched sample (collected above a water tank) was analysed. The obtained results indicate that aluminium-rich components in BA are present in both the melt phase and quench phase. In the melt phase (glassy material), the content of aluminium is low (usually below 2 wt%). Aluminium-rich components present in glass, inherited after aluminium products are usually oxidised, and occur as platy or irregular forms. Aluminium components in the quench phase are significantly transformed with the common presence of Cl⁻ and SO₄²⁻ phases formed during reaction with the quench water. Secondary phases form simple or complex rims around metallic or slightly oxidised cores, of which the size is significantly reduced during transformations. The variety in the forms of aluminium occurrence in BA makes its recovery challenging and inefficient. The reduced content of metallic aluminium indicates that the potential for hydrogen generation of BA is low. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Bioenergy Feedstock Production)

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21 pages, 6152 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Promotive Effect of Cyanobacteria and Chlorella sp. Foliar Biofertilization on Growth and Metabolic Activities of Willow (Salix viminalis L.) Plants as Feedstock Production, Solid Biofuel and Biochar as C Carrier for Fertilizers via Torrefaction Process

by Zdzislawa Romanowska-Duda, Szymon Szufa, Mieczysław Grzesik, Krzysztof Piotrowski and Regina Janas

Energies 2021, 14(17), 5262; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14175262 - 25 Aug 2021

Cited by 26 | Viewed by 2671

Abstract

The effect of foliar application of Cyanobacteria and Chlorella sp. monocultures on physiological activity, element composition, development and biomass weight of basket willow (Salix viminalis L.) and the possibility to prepare biofuel from it in the fortification process was studied. Triple foliar plant spraying with non-sonicated monocultures of Cyanobacteria (Anabaena sp. PCC 7120, Microcystis aeruginosa MKR 0105) and Chlorella sp. exhibited a considerably progressive impact on metabolic activity and development of plants. This biofertilization increased cytomembrane impermeability, the amount of chlorophyll in plants, photosynthesis productivity and transpiration, as well as degree of stomatal opening associated with a decreased concentration of intercellular CO₂, in comparison to control (treatments with water, Bio-Algeen S90 or with environmental sample). The applied strains markedly increased the element content (N, P, K) in shoots and the productivity of crucial growth enzymes: alkaline or acid phosphorylase, total dehydrogenases, RNase and nitrate reductase. Treatments did not affect energy properties of the burnt plants. These physiological events were associated with the improved growth of willow plants, namely height, length and amount of all shoots and their freshly harvested dry mass, which were increased by over 25% compared to the controls. The effectiveness of these treatments depended on applied monoculture. The plant spraying with Microcystis aeruginosa MKR 0105 was a little more effective than treatment with Chlorella sp. and Anabaena sp. or the environmental sample. The research demonstrate that the studied Cyanobacteria and Chlorella sp. monocultures have prospective and useful potential in production of Salix viminalis L., which is the basic energy plant around the word. In this work, a special batch reactor was used to produce torrefaction material in an inert atmosphere: nitrogen, thermogravimetric analysis and DTA analysis, like Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The combustion process of Salix viminalis L. with TG-MS analysis was conducted as well as study on a willow torrefaction process, obtaining 30% mass reduction with energy loss close to 10%. Comparing our research results to other types of biomasses, the isothermal temperature of 245 °C during thermo-chemical conversion of willow for the carbonized solid biofuel production from Salix viminalis L. biomass fertilized with Cyanobacteria and Chlorella sp. is relatively low. At the end, a SEM-EDS analysis of ash from torrefied Salix viminalis L. after carbonization process was conducted. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Bioenergy Feedstock Production)

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25 pages, 635 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Municipal Solid Waste Mass Balance as a Tool for Calculation of the Possibility of Implementing the Circular Economy Concept

by Grzegorz Wielgosiński, Justyna Czerwińska and Szymon Szufa

Energies 2021, 14(7), 1811; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14071811 - 24 Mar 2021

Cited by 23 | Viewed by 4133

Abstract

Municipal waste management system modeling based on the mass balance of individual waste streams allows us to answer the question of how the system will react to organizational changes, e.g., to the expected reduction in the amount of plastics or the introduction of a deposit for glass and/or plastic packaging. Based on the data on Polish municipal solid waste and the forecast of changes in its quantity and composition, as well as demographic data, a balance model was prepared to assess the impact of introducing higher and higher levels of recycling, in accordance with the circular economy assumptions on the waste management system. It has been shown that, for the Polish composition of municipal waste, even if the assumed recycling levels of individual streams are achieved, achieving the general target level of 65% recycling in 2025/30 may not be feasible. The possibility of achieving a higher level of recycling will be possible due the introduction of selective ash collection from individual home furnaces, while the impact of reducing the amount of plastics or introducing a deposit on packaging is minimal. The calculations also showed that, to complete the waste management system in Poland, we need at least 3.5 million Mg/year of incineration processing capacity and the present state (approx. 1.3 million Mg/year) is insufficient. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Bioenergy Feedstock Production)

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15 pages, 6737 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Potential of Waste Biomass from the Sugar Industry as a Source of Furfural and Its Derivatives for Use as Fuel Additives in Poland

by Magdalena Modelska, Michal J. Binczarski, Piotr Dziugan, Szymon Nowak, Zdzisława Romanowska-Duda, Adam Sadowski and Izabela A. Witońska

Energies 2020, 13(24), 6684; https://doi.org/10.3390/en13246684 - 17 Dec 2020

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3287

Abstract

Poland is one of the leading producers of sugar from sugar beet in Europe. However, the production of sugar generates large amounts of lignocellulosic waste, in the form of beet pulp and leaves. Currently, this waste is not reutilized in the chemical industry, but is only used as food for farm animals. This paper assesses the potential of using bio-waste from the sugar industry as a raw material for the production of furfurals via acid hydrolysis. Further processing of furfural into derivatives such as furfuryl alcohol (FA) or tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol (THFA) could increase the economic profitability of the initiative. Furfuryl alcohol can be used as a fuel additive in sugar factories. Tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol can be used as a component in agricultural fertilizers, increasing the yield of sugar beet. This approach reduces the amount of post-production waste and brings the sugar industry closer to the concept of a circular economy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Bioenergy Feedstock Production)

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14 pages, 5439 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Disc Granulation Process of Carbonation Lime Mud as a Method of Post-Production Waste Management

by Katarzyna Ławińska, Szymon Szufa, Andrzej Obraniak, Tomasz Olejnik, Robert Siuda, Jerzy Kwiatek and Dominika Ogrodowczyk

Energies 2020, 13(13), 3419; https://doi.org/10.3390/en13133419 - 2 Jul 2020

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 2961

Abstract

Carbonation lime mud is a by-product formed during the production of sugar in the process of raw beetroot juice purification. On average, during one campaign, over 12,000 tons of carbonation lime mud is obtained in the operation of one sugar production plant. It is stored in prisms, which negatively affects the environment. The chemical properties of carbonation lime mud allow using it as a soil improver. This article presents the results of research into the development of carbonation lime mud disposal technology and its management. The chemical composition and physical properties of waste were determined. It has been proposed to use carbonation lime mud as the basic raw material in the production of mineral–organic fertilizers. Tests were conducted in a disc granulator. The granulated material was wetted with water and aqueous solution of molasses. Carbonation lime mud is a material that is easily subjected to the granulation process, using any wetting liquid. The beds wetted with 33% and 66% solutions of molasses are characterized by a greater homogeneity and smaller size of the obtained product. During experiments in which wetting with water was applied, the product obtained after drying demonstrated low resistance to compression; granules wetted with 33% aqueous solution of molasses demonstrated resistance to compression below 10 N; and granules wetted with 66% aqueous solution of molasses demonstrated resistance to compression above 10 N. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Bioenergy Feedstock Production)

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Review

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34 pages, 2591 KiB

Open AccessReview

Biofuel Production from Seaweeds: A Comprehensive Review

by Yiru Zhao, Nathalie Bourgougnon, Jean-Louis Lanoisellé and Thomas Lendormi

Energies 2022, 15(24), 9395; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15249395 - 12 Dec 2022

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 6100

Abstract

Seaweeds represent a promising and sustainable feedstock for biofuel production which raises increasing research interests. Their high availability, easy fermentable composition, and good degradation potential make them a suitable candidate for alternating fossil fuels as an advantageous energy resource. This comprehensive review aims to summarize and discuss data from the literature on the biochemical composition of seaweeds and its potential for biomethane and biohydrogen production, as well as to investigate the effect of the common pretreatment methods. Satisfactory yields comparable to terrestrial biomass could be obtained through anaerobic digestion; concerning dark fermentation, the challenge remains to better define the operating conditions allowing a stable production of biohydrogen. Finally, we propose a potential energy production scheme with the seaweed found by the Caribbean Islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique, as well as current techno-economic challenges and future prospects. An annual energy potential of 66 GWh could be attained via a two-stage biohythane production process, this tends to be promising in terms of energetic valorization and coastal management. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Bioenergy Feedstock Production)

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