Topic Menu
► Topic MenuTopic Editors


Valorizing Waste through Thermal and Biological Processes for Sustainable Energy Production
Topic Information
Dear Colleagues,
Wastes are produced by most essential activities necessitated by modern society, and their adequate disposal or valorization poses a significant sustainable development challenge. Waste-to-energy systems may contribute to waste valorization due to their diverse nature as well as their capacity to process large amounts of materials. Innovations in catalysts, reactor design, the genetic engineering of microorganisms, and downstream processing techniques have driven technological progress in waste conversion. This Topic invites original research papers to address new applications of thermochemical, biological, or integrated technologies for the conversion of organic, lignocellulosic, or polymeric wastes into energy or fuels. Additionally, authors are encouraged to submit papers addressing the state of the art and recent advancements in these areas in order to provide useful guidelines for future research. Biorefinery approaches combining material and energy valorization may be used to achieve waste valorization solutions that are both economically viable and environmentally friendly. Finally, emerging technologies for carbon dioxide capture, storage, and conversion into gas or liquid fuels exhibit great potential in lowering greenhouse gas emissions and valorizing these gaseous wastes. Efficient waste-to-energy solutions are necessary for reducing our consumption of essential raw materials as well as preserving the quality of air, water, and soils that constitute ecosystems. Thermochemical processes, such as combustion, carbonization, pyrolysis, and gasification, have been mainly applied to lignocellulosic or polymeric wastes, while biological processes such as anaerobic digestion or fermentation have been used to convert organic and lignocellulosic materials.
Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Waste-to-energy technologies;
- Conversion of wastes into solid biofuels;
- Production of liquid biofuels from lipidic wastes, lignocellulosic wastes, or polymeric wastes;
- Production of gaseous biofuels through thermochemical or biological processes;
- Production of alcohols from organic or lignocellulosic wastes;
- Production of hydrogen from wastes;
- Catalytic upgrading of waste-derived fuels;
- Waste biorefineries; Microalgae-based biorefineries;
- Carbon dioxide capture, storage, and conversion into gas or liquid fuels;
- Life cycle analysis of waste-to-energy systems.
Prof. Dr. Margarida Gonçalves
Prof. Dr. Cândida Vilarinho
Topic Editors
Keywords
- waste-to-energy systems
- thermochemical processes
- biological processes
- biorefineries
- microalgae
- carbon dioxide conversion
- life cycle analysis
Participating Journals
Journal Name | Impact Factor | CiteScore | Launched Year | First Decision (median) | APC |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]()
Energies
|
3.0 | 6.2 | 2008 | 16.8 Days | CHF 2600 |
![]()
Catalysts
|
3.8 | 6.8 | 2011 | 13.9 Days | CHF 2200 |
![]()
Fermentation
|
3.3 | 3.8 | 2015 | 15.4 Days | CHF 2100 |
![]()
Processes
|
2.8 | 5.1 | 2013 | 14.9 Days | CHF 2400 |
![]()
Waste
|
- | - | 2023 | 34.1 Days | CHF 1000 |
Preprints.org is a multidisciplinary platform offering a preprint service designed to facilitate the early sharing of your research. It supports and empowers your research journey from the very beginning.
MDPI Topics is collaborating with Preprints.org and has established a direct connection between MDPI journals and the platform. Authors are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity by posting their preprints at Preprints.org prior to publication:
- Share your research immediately: disseminate your ideas prior to publication and establish priority for your work.
- Safeguard your intellectual contribution: Protect your ideas with a time-stamped preprint that serves as proof of your research timeline.
- Boost visibility and impact: Increase the reach and influence of your research by making it accessible to a global audience.
- Gain early feedback: Receive valuable input and insights from peers before submitting to a journal.
- Ensure broad indexing: Web of Science (Preprint Citation Index), Google Scholar, Crossref, SHARE, PrePubMed, Scilit and Europe PMC.