SDG 7: Sustainability in Biomass Utilization and Biomass Conversion
A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Engineering and Science".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 11 July 2026 | Viewed by 20
Special Issue Editor
Interests: bioenergy systems; gasification; torrefaction; RES applications; alternative fuels exploitation in energy generation; advanced energy systems of low or zero carbon footprint and process modelling
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Biomass is plant- or animal-based material used for electricity production, heat production, or in various industrial processes, such as raw material for a range of products. Biomass contains stored energy from the sun, which is absorbed by plants via photosynthesis. As a storable energy carrier, biomass can significantly contribute to increasing the share of renewable energy consumption and reducing CO2 emissions from fossil fuels.
Direct combustion is the most common biomass conversion technology. However, the main advantage of pure or converted biomass is its storability in liquid, gaseous, or solid forms, which allows for a high degree of flexibility. In fact, there are several thermal (gasification, pyrolysis, and torrefaction), biological (anaerobic digestion, and dark fermentation), mechanical, and chemical processes through which biomass is first converted into other solid, gaseous, or liquid forms (e.g., ethanol and hydrogen) to obtain biogases or biofuels with far greater energy density and calorific value on a mass basis than the original feedstock. Moreover, biogas generated from anaerobic digestion can be upgraded to biomethane through various techniques, resulting in a renewable gas with highly compatible to natural gas. Hydrogen can be viewed as a sustainable strategic alternative relative to liquid biofuels, especially in the fuel and transport sector (e.g., aviation). In the short term, biohydrogen could be produced mainly through known processes via reforming methane-rich gases. In the future, fermentative and thermo-chemical processes are also conceivable. Developing new technologies will enable the production of secure and sustainable biomass supplies, clean and effective conversion processes, high-quality fuels, and optimally integrated solutions for households, services, industry, and district heating and cooling.
In the biorefinery context, biomass can be utilized not only for energy production but also for recovering bioactive compounds. These compounds, including terpenes/terpenoids, antioxidants, and phenolic compounds, are valuable in industries such as pharmaceuticals, food, and cosmetics. By employing efficient and sustainable extraction methods, biomass residues could yield added-value products while simultaneously supporting biofuel production. Integrating bioactive compound extraction into biorefineries creates a multi-product circular system, enhancing the economic viability of biomass utilization and adding value beyond just fuel generation.
In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:
- Applications in residential biomass heating systems;
- Thermal conversion of biomass;
- Biomass utilization and its relationship with environmental sustainability;
- Biomass-based hydrogen production;
- Biochemical pathways for fuel generation
- Extraction of valuable compounds
- Life-cycle analysis of biomass fuels.
Dr. Nikolaos Margaritis
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- biofuels
- bioenergy
- biohydrogen
- biomethane
- biorefineries
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