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Sustainable Energy Development in Liquid Waste and Biomass—3rd Edition
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Sustainable Energy Development in Liquid Waste and Biomass—3rd Edition

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 October 2026 | Viewed by 1583

Editor

Dr. Timothy Sibanda

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
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
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Biomass, a versatile and readily available resource, stands at the forefront of energy innovation, offering a pathway to climate-friendly energy alternatives. This Special Issue aims to showcase cutting-edge research and insights on biomass energy, exploring both its potential and challenges in contributing to a greener and more resilient energy landscape.

We welcome submissions that advance understanding of the following topics:

  • Advances in biomass conversion technologies;
  • Bioenergy and carbon sequestration (carbon capture and storage (CCS));
  • Sustainable biomass production and sourcing;
  • Biomass and rural development;
  • Environmental and social impacts of biomass energy;
  • Integration of biomass with other renewable sources;
  • Economic viability and policy implications;
  • Technological challenges and future prospects.

For this Special Issue, we welcome original research articles, comprehensive reviews, and thought-provoking perspectives that illuminate the role of biomass in shaping a sustainable energy future.

We look forward to receiving valuable contributions from researchers, practitioners, and policy experts that offer innovative solutions and critical perspectives on the future of biomass energy.

Dr. Timothy Sibanda
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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-anonymized 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 biomass
  • global warming
  • pollution bioeconomy
  • carbon capture and storage (CCS)

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

22 pages, 8505 KB  
Article
Balancing Biomass Yield and Lignocellulosic Recalcitrance for Methane and Energy–Economic Optimization of Sida hermaphrodita
by Marcin Dębowski, Anna Brózda and Joanna Kazimierowicz
Energies 2026, 19(15), 3475; https://doi.org/10.3390/en19153475 - 23 Jul 2026
Viewed by 336
Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Sida hermaphrodita harvest timing on biomass composition, properties, and methane fermentation performance. In addition, an energy–economic assessment was performed for biomass obtained at different stages of the growing season. The economic assessment [...] Read more.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Sida hermaphrodita harvest timing on biomass composition, properties, and methane fermentation performance. In addition, an energy–economic assessment was performed for biomass obtained at different stages of the growing season. The economic assessment assumed CHP electrical and thermal efficiencies of 38% and 47%, electricity and heat prices of 0.18 and 0.05 EUR/kWh, respectively, month-specific agrotechnical costs, and OPEX equal to 30% of total energy revenue. The biomass exhibited clear seasonal changes, transitioning from a material with high bioavailability during the summer period to a structurally more recalcitrant substrate in the autumn and winter months, as indicated by increasing lignification and fibrous fraction contents. The highest CH4 production yields, ranging from 300 to 320 mL/g VS, and maximum production rates of up to 33.5 mL/g VS·d were obtained between June and August. In December, the CH4 yield decreased to 180 ± 9 mL/g VS, accompanied by a substantial deterioration in kinetic performance. Despite the relatively stable theoretical methane potential, which ranged from 405 to 430 mL/g VS, its conversion efficiency declined from 77.1% in the summer period to 41.9% in the winter period. Regression analysis confirmed the key influence of the C/N ratio and total solids content, with model fits reaching R2 values of 0.74–0.80, while the structure of lignocellulosic complexes had a less pronounced but still relevant effect. The maximum CH4 production per unit cultivation area, approaching 3380 m3/ha, was achieved in July–August, reflecting a balance between high specific methane yield and biomass productivity. At the same time, the results demonstrated that the maximum biomass yield did not translate into the highest energy and economic performance. The highest net economic return, 1789 ± 330 EUR/ha, was obtained in July, despite biomass yield being 13.6% higher in September. These findings indicate a seasonal decoupling between biomass yield and energy performance, highlight biomass quality as a critical determinant of anaerobic digestion efficiency, and support harvest-date optimization as a low-cost strategy for the practical use of S. hermaphrodita in agricultural biogas plants. Further long-term continuous and semi-continuous studies are required to validate process stability and performance under industrial operating conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Energy Development in Liquid Waste and Biomass—3rd Edition)
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13 pages, 1231 KB  
Article
Investigation of Ignition Quality of Vegetable Oils in Comparison with Residual Marine HFOs
by Ioannis Nikolaos Charitos and Dimitrios Karonis
Energies 2026, 19(12), 2802; https://doi.org/10.3390/en19122802 - 11 Jun 2026
Viewed by 303
Abstract
Recently there has been notable interest in the reduction in emissions of the shipping industry via the substitution of the currently used fossil fuels with alternative green fuels. One such alternative studied presently could be the use of pure vegetable oils, which are [...] Read more.
Recently there has been notable interest in the reduction in emissions of the shipping industry via the substitution of the currently used fossil fuels with alternative green fuels. One such alternative studied presently could be the use of pure vegetable oils, which are cheaper and easier to produce than other proposed fuels. In this study, pure vegetable oils were tested in a constant volume combustion chamber to assess their ignition quality via the measurement of their Estimated Cetane Number (ECN) and to compare it with that of heavy fuel oils (HFOs). Moreover, the effect of vegetable oil composition on ignition quality was investigated. It was found that all the vegetable oils tested possessed significantly higher ignition quality than standard heavy fuel oils. Vegetable oil ignition quality was found to be most impacted by their degree of unsaturation. The results of the present study indicate that from the point of view of ignition quality, vegetable oils are a viable alternative to fossil fuels, being expected to lead to an increase in the ignition quality of standard heavy fuel oils. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Energy Development in Liquid Waste and Biomass—3rd Edition)
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20 pages, 2793 KB  
Article
Innovative Approach to Produce Raw, Torrefied Almond Shells and Plastic Waste Blend Pellets
by Jaya Shankar Tumuluru, Oluwatosin Oginni, Zachary P. Smith and Bradley D. Wahlen
Energies 2026, 19(5), 1159; https://doi.org/10.3390/en19051159 - 26 Feb 2026
Viewed by 540
Abstract
The increasing demand for sustainable materials has driven interest in biocomposites that incorporate low-value agricultural residues to offset the use of virgin plastics. The study investigated the production of blend pellets from raw and torrefied almond shells and post-consumer plastic waste as a [...] Read more.
The increasing demand for sustainable materials has driven interest in biocomposites that incorporate low-value agricultural residues to offset the use of virgin plastics. The study investigated the production of blend pellets from raw and torrefied almond shells and post-consumer plastic waste as a potential feedstock for biocomposite and biofuels applications. Almond shells were torrefied in a lab-scale fixed-bed reactor at 300 °C for 30 min prior to the pelleting tests. High-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polypropylene (PP) wastes were size-reduced in a Crumbler (rotary shear grinder) fitted with a 2 mm head and a 2 mm screen to remove the fines. A portion of the crumbled HDPE, and torrefied almond shells were further ground in a Wiley mill fitted with 2 and 1 mm screens for flat die pelleting tests. The flat die pellet mill used for testing had a 6 mm die and a length-to-diameter (L/D) ratio of 2.0. The blend ratio consisted of 30% torrefied almond shells and 70% HDPE, with a 10% starch binder. The measured pellet properties include unit, bulk and tap densities, durability, and expansion ratio. The bulk density of the blend pellets ranged from 360 to 410 kg/m3, and durability ranged from 80% to 88%. The blend pellet unit density ranged from 830 to 880 kg/m3. The blend pellets produced using crumbled HDPE, PP and raw and torrefied almond shells in a ring die pilot-scale pellet mill with an L/D ratio of 6 and steam conditioning exhibit similar densities to those of HDPE pellets produced using a flat die pellet mill, albeit with lower durability. The study indicated that a smaller grind size and preheating the blend before pelleting produce blend pellets with higher density and greater durability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Energy Development in Liquid Waste and Biomass—3rd Edition)
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