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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 (14 September 2024) | Viewed by 15888

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Dr. Timothy Sibanda

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School of Molecular and Cell Biology, Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2050, South Africa
Interests: bioethanol and biogas; bioconversion of waste food into compost; microorganisms; sustainable agriculture
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The world has, since the first industrial revolution, been overly dependent on fossil fuels, and the cumulative harm stemming from centuries-long greenhouse gas emissions into our climate is now undeniably glaring, being felt in the form of global warming and climate change. Global warming is now a lived reality the world over, with consequences ranging from run-away wildfires to floods to extreme drought conditions becoming common occurrences. Not only are fossil fuels significant contributors to global warming and climate change, but they are also non-renewable, and hence unsustainable. Consequently, there have been calls, spearheaded by some developed countries, particularly in Europe, to reduce the carbon footprint to stem the tide of global warming and climate change. These calls point to a need to significantly reduce the use of fossil fuels and switch to alternative, sustainable and climate friendly energy sources.

Research attention has fallen on biomass as an alternative. Biomass materials are classified as renewable energy (bioenergy) resources due to the fact that the carbon dioxide emitted in the processes of their combustion or thermal conversion does not increase the carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere as it is counterbalanced by the carbon dioxide intake by plants. Bioenergy can be generated from the biomass as heat, power, or biofuels (solid, liquid, or gaseous) via thermochemical or biochemical processes. The comprehensive use of low-cost, highly available and unavoidable biomass for energy generation is not only sustainable and climate friendly but will also help the world realize the twin concepts of bioeconomy and circular economy.

This Special Issue therefore calls for researchers in the domain of renewable energy, particularly those engaged with biomass, to make contributions in the form of research papers or review papers. Review articles are usually 6000-8000 words and should include at least one figure. There is no limit on the number of references included. Manuscripts must address energy development technologies from any of a range of unavoidable biomass such as wood waste, agricultural waste, food waste, municipal solid waste, and sewage sludge waste as well as liquid wastes such as commercial wastewater, industrial wastewater, residential sewage, domestics holding tank waste and runoff waste, among others. Our submission deadline is 25 February 2024. Please do notify us if you need an extension.

Dr. Timothy Sibanda
Guest Editor

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Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Energies is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

biomass
renewable energy
sustainable
global warming
pollution
bioeconomy

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Related Special Issue

Sustainable Energy Development in Liquid Waste and Biomass: 2nd Edition in Energies (3 articles)

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

Jump to: Review

18 pages, 7125 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Energy Quality of Corn Biomass from Gasoline-Contaminated Soils Remediated with Sorbents

by Agata Borowik, Jadwiga Wyszkowska, Magdalena Zaborowska and Jan Kucharski

Energies 2024, 17(21), 5322; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17215322 - 25 Oct 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 782

Abstract

Soil contaminated with petroleum-derived products should be used to cultivate energy crops. One such crop is Zea mays. Therefore, a study was performed to determine the suitability of Zea mays biomass obtained from gasoline-contaminated soil for energy purposes. The analysis included determining the heat of combustion and calorific value of the biomass, as well as the content of nitrogen, carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, sulfur, and ash in the biomass. Additionally, the suitability of vermiculite, dolomite, perlite, and agrobasalt for the phytostabilization of gasoline-contaminated soil was evaluated. It was found that the application of sorbents to gasoline-contaminated soil significantly reduced the severe negative effects of this petroleum product on the growth and development of Zea mays. Gasoline contamination of the soil caused a significant increase in ash, nitrogen, and sulfur, along with a decrease in carbon and oxygen content. However, it had no negative effect on the heat of combustion or calorific value of the biomass, although it did reduce the energy production from Zea mays biomass due to a reduction in yield. An important achievement of the study is the demonstration that all the applied sorbents have a positive effect on soil stabilization, which in turn enhances the amount of Zea mays biomass harvested and the energy produced from it. The best results were observed after the application of agrobasalt, dolomite, and vermiculite on gasoline-contaminated soil. Therefore, these sorbents can be recommended for the phytostabilization of gasoline-contaminated soil intended for the cultivation of energy crops. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Energy Development in Liquid Waste and Biomass)

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10 pages, 1167 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of Changes in the Chemical Composition of Grasses as a Result of the Methane Fermentation Process and Biogas Production Efficiency

by Bogusława Waliszewska, Hanna Waliszewska, Mieczysław Grzelak, Leszek Majchrzak, Eliza Gaweł, Maciej Murawski, Agnieszka Sieradzka, Iryna Vaskina and Agnieszka Spek-Dźwigała

Energies 2024, 17(16), 4100; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17164100 - 18 Aug 2024

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1380

Abstract

Methane fermentation, which is one of the key processes in biogas production, plays an important role in the conversion of biomass to energy. During this process, changes occur in the chemical composition of organic feedstocks, including the chemical composition of grasses. The assessment of these changes is crucial for the efficiency and productivity of biogas production. The material for this study comprised fully mature grass blades with leaves and inflorescences and was collected from extensively used meadows and pastures, as well as cultivated and set-aside areas in the Wielkopolskie Voivodeship, the communes of Białośliwie and Trzcianka, Poland. The aim of this study was to compare methane fermentation efficiency in nine grass species and identify the biomass component involved in biogas production. The results indicate that the fermentation process, as expected, changed the cellulose content. The lignin content of the grasses before fermentation varied more than the cellulose content. The content of holocellulose (sum of carbohydrate components) in the grasses ranged from 59.77 to 72.93% before fermentation. Methane fermentation significantly reduced the carbohydrate content in the grasses, with a low degree of polymerization. Grassland biomass-based biogas production is a viable alternative to conventional fossil fuels. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Energy Development in Liquid Waste and Biomass)

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15 pages, 2834 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Trade-Off between Combustion and Partial Oxidation during Chemical Looping Conversion of Methane

by Francesco Miccio, Mauro Mazzocchi, Mattia Boscherini, Alba Storione, Matteo Minelli and Ferruccio Doghieri

Energies 2024, 17(11), 2764; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17112764 - 5 Jun 2024

Viewed by 867

Abstract

The chemical looping reforming and combustion of methane have attracted increasing interest as processes for clean energy and syngas production, with potential to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Previous literature on the development of oxygen carriers evidenced the effects that oxygen availability exerts on the selectivity of the oxidation reaction. In the present paper, we evaluate the performance of chromite sand (Chro), cerium dioxide (CeO₂), and mixed cerium–copper oxide (Ce–Cu) as oxygen carriers for either reforming or combustion according to their oxygen availability. The oxides are tested in 2 to 5 min reduction intervals in a CH₄/N₂ mixture (5, 10 and 20% vol.) followed by regeneration in O₂/N₂ (3, 5, or 21% vol.), with redox cycles conducted either at 850 °C or 950 °C. The obtained rank of selectivity towards complete CH₄ combustion is Ce–Cu > CeO₂ > Chro. Another relevant finding is the role of the degree of carrier conversion in promoting partial or total oxidation. In particular, the selectivity towards CO₂ markedly decreases at increasing carrier conversion, disclosing new strategies for process design and optimization by controlling the carrier conversion degree. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Energy Development in Liquid Waste and Biomass)

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14 pages, 585 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Assessing Energy Potential and Chemical Composition of Food Waste Thermodynamic Conversion Products: A Literature Review

by Andreja Škorjanc, Darko Goričanec and Danijela Urbancl

Energies 2024, 17(8), 1897; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17081897 - 16 Apr 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1745

Abstract

This study examines the considerable volume of food waste generated annually in Slovenia, which amounted to over 143,000 tons in 2020. The analysis shows that 40% of food waste consists of edible parts, highlighting the potential for reduction through increased consumer awareness and attitudes towards food consumption. The study shows that the consumption phase contributes the most to waste food (46%), followed by primary production (25%) and processing/manufacture (24%). The study addresses various thermodynamic processes, in particular, thermal conversion methods, such as torrefaction pyrolysis and hydrothermal carbonization, which optimize energy potential by reducing the atomic ratio (H/C) and (O/C), thereby increasing calorific value and facilitating the production of solid fuels. The main results show the effectiveness of torrefaction, pyrolysis and hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) in increasing the energy potential of food waste. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Energy Development in Liquid Waste and Biomass)

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17 pages, 10921 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

The Impact of Aluminosilicate Additives upon the Chlorine Distribution and Melting Behavior of Poultry Litter Ash

by Izabella Maj, Kamil Niesporek, Krzysztof Matus, Francesco Miccio, Mauro Mazzocchi and Paweł Łój

Energies 2024, 17(8), 1854; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17081854 - 12 Apr 2024

Viewed by 1531

Abstract

The use of poultry litter (PL) as a sustainable fuel is gaining more attention due to its wide availability and carbon neutrality. However, this type of feedstock is rich in ash and typically contains a high concentration of chlorine (Cl) and alkali elements (Na, K). Therefore, it is likely to cause unwanted issues during combustion and co-combustion, such as chlorine-induced corrosion, ash deposition, and bed agglomeration. In this study, for the first time, the influence of aluminosilicate additives on the above problems of poultry litter was investigated. Three aluminosilicate minerals are under consideration: kaolin, halloysite, and bentonite. Their influence on the chemical composition and meting tendencies of two poultry litter ashes are determined. The investigated ashes, PL1 and PL2, are characterized by different chlorine contents of 6.38% and 0.42%, respectively. The results show that in the case of the chlorine-rich PL1 ash, the additives reduced the chlorine content by up to 45%, resulting in a 3.93% of chlorine in the case of halloysite, 3.48% in the case of kaolin, and 4.25% in the case of bentonite. The additives also positively influenced the shrinkage starting temperature and the deformation temperature of the PL1 ash. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Energy Development in Liquid Waste and Biomass)

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21 pages, 4213 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Possibilities of Utilising Biomass Collected from Road Verges to Produce Biogas and Biodiesel

by Robert Czubaszek, Agnieszka Wysocka-Czubaszek, Aneta Sienkiewicz, Alicja Piotrowska-Niczyporuk, Martin J. Wassen and Andrzej Bajguz

Energies 2024, 17(7), 1751; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17071751 - 5 Apr 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1789

Abstract

Grass collected as part of roadside maintenance is conventionally subjected to composting, which has the disadvantage of generating significant CO₂ emissions. Thus, it is crucial to find an alternative method for the utilisation of grass waste. The aim of this study was to determine the specific biogas yield (SBY) from the anaerobic mono-digestion of grass from road verges and to assess the content of Fatty Acid Methyl Esters (FAMEs) in grass in relation to the time of cutting and the preservation method of the studied material. The biochemical biogas potential (BBP) test and the FAMEs content were performed on fresh and ensiled grass collected in spring, summer, and autumn. The highest biogas production was obtained from fresh grass cut in spring (715.05 ± 26.43 NL kg_VS⁻¹), while the minimum SBY was observed for fresh grass cut in summer (540.19 ± 24.32 NL kg_VS⁻¹). The methane (CH₄) content in the biogas ranged between 55.0 ± 2.0% and 60.0 ± 1.0%. The contents of ammonia (NH₃) and hydrogen sulphide (H₂S) in biogas remained below the threshold values for these inhibitors. The highest level of total FAMEs was determined in fresh grass cut in autumn (98.08 ± 19.25 mg g_DM⁻¹), while the lowest level was detected in fresh grass cut in spring (56.37 ± 7.03 mg g_DM⁻¹). C16:0 and C18:0, which are ideal for biofuel production, were present in the largest amount (66.87 ± 15.56 mg g_DM⁻¹) in fresh grass cut in autumn. The ensiling process significantly impacted the content of total FAMEs in spring grass, leading to a reduction in total saturated fatty acids (SFAs) and an increase in total unsaturated fatty acids (USFAs). We conclude that grass biomass collected during the maintenance of road verges is a valuable feedstock for the production of both liquid and gaseous biofuels; however, generating energy from biogas appears to be more efficient than producing biodiesel. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Energy Development in Liquid Waste and Biomass)

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18 pages, 3890 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Life Cycle Assessment of Energy Production from Solid Waste Valorization and Wastewater Purification: A Case Study of Meat Processing Industry

by Christos Boukouvalas, Tryfon Kekes, Vasiliki Oikonomopoulou and Magdalini Krokida

Energies 2024, 17(2), 487; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17020487 - 19 Jan 2024

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1510

Abstract

The meat processing industry is a very energy-intensive and water-demanding industry that produces large amounts of solid and aqueous wastes. Therefore, methods for the effective treatment of the produced wastes have been studied in order to treat and reuse water within the industry and valorize the solid wastes for the production of energy and value-added products. The primary aim of this work is to evaluate the overall sustainability of energy produced from solid waste valorization and wastewater treatment in the meat processing industry via Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). For this purpose, the total environmental impact of a typical meat industry that utilizes conventional waste management methods (Scenario A) was evaluated and compared with two different industries with appropriate waste treatment/valorization processes. In the first studied valorization scenario (Scenario B), waste management is conducted using anaerobic digestion, composting, membrane bioreactors, and ultraviolet (UV) treatment, whereas in the second studied valorization scenario (Scenario C), aeration treatment, chlorination, and hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) are the selected treatment techniques. As expected, it is evident from this LCA study, that both Scenarios B and C exhibited a significantly improved environmental footprint in all studied indicators compared with Scenario A, with the reduction in certain environmental impact categories reaching up to 80%. Between the two studied alternative scenarios, the biggest improvement in the environmental footprint of the meat industry was observed in Scenario C, mainly due to the substantial quantity of the produced thermal energy. According to the results of the present case study, it is evident that the incorporation of appropriate methods in the meat industry can result in the efficient generation of energy and a significant improvement in the environmental footprint contributing to environmental safety and sustainability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Energy Development in Liquid Waste and Biomass)

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18 pages, 4361 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Ash from Salix viminalis on the Biomass and Heating Value of Zea mays and on the Biochemical and Physicochemical Properties of Soils

by Edyta Boros-Lajszner, Jadwiga Wyszkowska and Jan Kucharski

Energies 2023, 16(24), 8037; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16248037 - 13 Dec 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1067

Abstract

Wood ash is sometimes used as an alternative to mineral fertilizers; however, there is still a paucity of reliable data concerning its effect on plants—and on biological properties of soil. The present study aimed to determine the possible extent of soil pollution with ash from Salix viminalis that does not disturb the growth of Zea mays L., intended for energetic purposes, in order to identify how the increasing ash doses affect biochemical and physicochemical properties of soil and to finally to establish the neutralizing effects of soil additives, i.e., compost and HumiAgra preparation, on this soil pollutant. The study demonstrated that the heating value of Zea mays L. was stable and not modified by the excess content of ash from Salix viminalis in the soil. This finding points to the feasibility of Zea mays L. cultivation on soils contaminated with ash from Salix viminalis and its use in bio-power engineering. The biomass of the aboveground parts of Zea mays L. was significantly reduced after soil contamination with Salix viminalis ash dose of 20 g kg⁻¹ d.m. soil, whereas the smaller ash doses tested (5–10 g kg⁻¹ d.m. soil) did not impair either the growth or the development of Zea mays L. The ash inhibited activities of all analyzed soil enzymes but increased soil pH and sorption capacity. Fertilization with compost proved more effective in neutralizing the adverse effect of ash on enzymatic activity of the soil. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Energy Development in Liquid Waste and Biomass)

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15 pages, 2233 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Calorific Value Prediction Model Using Structure Composition of Heat-Treated Lignocellulosic Biomass

by Sunyong Park, Seon Yeop Kim, Ha Eun Kim, Kwang Cheol Oh, Seok Jun Kim, La Hoon Cho, Young Kwang Jeon and DaeHyun Kim

Energies 2023, 16(23), 7896; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16237896 - 3 Dec 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1995

Abstract

This study aims to identify an equation for predicting the calorific value for heat-treated biomass using structural analysis. Different models were constructed using 129 samples of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, and calorific values obtained from previous studies. These models were validated using 41 additional datasets, and an optimal model was identified using its results and following performance metrics: the coefficient of determination (R²), mean absolute error (MAE), root-mean-squared error (RMSE), average absolute error (AAE), and average bias error (ABE). Finally, the model was verified using 25 additional data points. For the overall dataset, R² was ~0.52, and the RMSE range was 1.46–1.77. For woody biomass, the R² range was 0.78–0.83, and the RMSE range was 0.9626–1.2810. For herbaceous biomass, the R² range was 0.5251–0.6001, and the RMSE range was 1.1822–1.3957. The validation results showed similar or slightly poorer performances. The optimal model was then tested using the test data. For overall biomass and woody biomass, the performance metrics of the obtained model were superior to those in previous studies, whereas for herbaceous biomass, lower performance metrics were observed. The identified model demonstrated equal or superior performance compared to linear models. Further improvements are required based on a wider range of structural biomass data. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Energy Development in Liquid Waste and Biomass)

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Review

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15 pages, 1656 KiB

Open AccessReview

Animal Manure as an Alternative Bioenergy Resource in Rural Sub-Saharan Africa: Present Insights, Challenges, and Prospects for Future Advancements

by Timothy Sibanda and Jean Damascene Uzabakiriho

Energies 2024, 17(8), 1839; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17081839 - 11 Apr 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2284

Abstract

Energy availability is a pivotal driver in fostering sustainable socio-economic development. However, sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) grapples with paradoxes headlined by abundant energy resources but with the world’s lowest access to clean energy index per capita. Faced with a lack of access to clean energy sources like electricity, rural areas in the majority of SSA countries almost exclusively depend on biomass-fuels, mostly fuelwood, leading to heightened respiratory health risks as well as environmental degradation and accelerated climate change. As an alternative, this review investigates the potential of animal manure as a sustainable energy resource for rural SSA households, emphasising its utilisation as a feedstock for biogas production using anaerobic digestor technology. Results show that despite the abundance of literature that reports on successes in lab-scale bioreactor optimisation, as well as successes in the initial rollout of biogas biodigester technology in SSA with the help of international collaborators, the actual uptake of biogas bioreactor technology by rural communities remains low, while installed bioreactors are experiencing high failure rates. Resultantly, rural SSA still lags significantly behind in the adoption of sustainable clean energy systems in comparison to rural communities in other regions. Among some of the hurdles identified as driving low technology assimilation are onerous policy requirements, low-level government involvement, high bioreactor-instalment costs, the lack of training and awareness, and water scarcity. Prospects for success lie in innovative technologies like the low-cost portable FlexiBiogas system and private–public partnerships, as well as flexible energy policy frameworks. Bridging the knowledge-implementation gap requires a holistic approach considering cultural, technological, and policy aspects. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Energy Development in Liquid Waste and Biomass)

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