Production of Hydrogen from Biomass and Organic Waste
A special issue of Hydrogen (ISSN 2673-4141).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2026 | Viewed by 915
Editor
Interests: green chemistry; process intensification; biofuels and e-fuels production; biomass for fuels and chemicals; thermochemical processes; catalytic processes; hydrogen production; power-to-X; waste-to-chemical and waste-to-energy; enabling technologies; sustainable chemical processes; LCA
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The urgent need to decarbonize global energy systems has positioned hydrogen at the forefront of sustainable energy research. As a clean and versatile energy carrier with high gravimetric energy density and zero emissions at the point of use, hydrogen is expected to play a pivotal role in achieving climate neutrality and supporting the transition to a circular, low-carbon economy. At present, however, industrial hydrogen production remains heavily reliant on fossil fuels—particularly natural gas through steam methane reforming—resulting in substantial greenhouse gas emissions. This dependency underscores the necessity of developing renewable and environmentally sustainable hydrogen production pathways. Among the most promising alternatives is the valorization of biomass and organic waste streams. These feedstocks are abundant, renewable, and often underutilized, offering a dual benefit: the generation of clean hydrogen and the mitigation of environmental burdens associated with waste management. Hydrogen can be derived from biomass and organic residues through a range of thermochemical (e.g., gasification, pyrolysis, and reforming), biochemical (e.g., dark fermentation, anaerobic digestion, and photofermentation), and emerging hybrid processes such as photocatalysis and electro-biochemical systems. Each pathway presents unique challenges and opportunities in terms of efficiency, scalability, feedstock variability, and integration with the existing energy infrastructures.
This Special Issue aims to highlight recent advances, challenges, and opportunities in hydrogen production from biomass and organic waste. We welcome contributions addressing, but not limited to, the following:
- Innovative thermochemical and biochemical conversion technologies.
- Catalytic systems and process intensification strategies.
- Feedstock characterization, pre-treatment, and valorization.
- Integration with carbon capture and utilization (CCU).
- Techno-economic analysis and life cycle assessment (LCA).
- Policy, regulatory, and market frameworks.
- Pilot- and industrial-scale demonstrations.
By assembling original research articles, reviews, case studies, and perspectives, this Special Issue seeks to provide a comprehensive platform for advancing scientific knowledge, technological innovation, and policy insight. Our objective is to foster interdisciplinary dialogue and collaboration among researchers, engineers, and decision-makers, thereby accelerating the deployment of biomass- and waste-derived hydrogen systems. Ultimately, this Special Issue aspires to chart a path forward for sustainable hydrogen production, leveraging the untapped potential of organic resources to enhance energy security, environmental sustainability, and circular economy principles.
Dr. Nadia Cerone
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. Hydrogen is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly 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 1200 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
- hydrogen production
- biomass valorization
- organic waste conversion
- thermochemical processes (gasification, pyrolysis, reforming)
- biochemical processes (fermentation, anaerobic digestion)
- catalysis and process intensification
- feedstock pre-treatment and characterization
- life cycle assessment and techno-economic analysis
- waste-to-energy systems
- circular economy and sustainability
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