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Energies
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Key Technologies and Challenges of Biomass and Bioenergy System
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Key Technologies and Challenges of Biomass and Bioenergy System

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (11 January 2024) | Viewed by 12290

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. José Guadalupe Rutiaga Quiñones

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Guest Editor
Facultad de Ingeniería en Tecnología de la Madera (FITECMA), Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo (UMSNH), Avenida Gral. Francisco J. Múgica S/N, Ciudad Universitaria, Morelia 58040, Mich, Mexico
Interests: wood chemistry; chemistry of lignocellulosic materials; solid biofuels; biomass energy characterization
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Faustino Ruiz-Aquino

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
División de Estudios de Postgrado-Instituto de Estudios Ambientales, Universidad de la Sierra Juárez, Avenida Universidad s/n, Ixtlán de Juárez 68725, Mexico
Interests: biomass energy characterization; wood science and technology; solid biofuels

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Biomass has the potential to produce thermal, electrical, and mechanical energy. It is a cheaper type of energy production that is renewable and creates fewer emissions due to its combustion method. Raw materials such as leaves, roots, nut shells, agricultural residues, pruning residues, wood waste, etc., are burned to produce energy. These raw materials can be used directly or densified in the form of pellets or briquettes, thus improving their energetic characteristics. To carry out the combustion of biomass, different technologies can be used such as boilers, combustion chambers, fluidized bed combustors, gasifiers, among others. Technological progress has allowed for the development of advanced techniques that allow energy to be produced with high contributions, high efficiencies, low emissions, and at a competitive cost, which encompass a wide variety of raw materials and processes that can be used for very diverse energy purposes. Therefore, the editor is inviting submissions to a Special Issue of Energies on the subject area of "Key Technologies and Challenges of Biomass and Bioenergy System".

The key topics focusing on biomass conversion methods include the materials used; the necessary transformations; the energy products obtained; and thermochemical and wet processes from primary biomass, crops and residues used to produce biofuels and energy services of heat, electricity, and mechanical work.

We welcome original, high-quality work in these areas that has not been previously published elsewhere. Selected proposed manuscripts will be subject to a careful peer review and editorial process.

Prof. Dr. José Guadalupe Rutiaga Quiñones
Dr. Faustino Ruiz-Aquino
Guest Editors

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 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 energy characterization
  • biomass energy system
  • biomass thermochemical processes
  • chemicals derived from biomass pyrolysis
  • energy technologies for biomass
  • solid biofuels

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 3399 KiB  
Article
Changes in the Characteristics of Pine Logging Residue during Storage in Forest Stands
by Marek Wieruszewski, Jakub Kawalerczyk, Kinga Stuper-Szablewska, Joanna Walkiewicz, Martin Lieskovský, Maciej Jarzębski and Radosław Mirski
Energies 2024, 17(4), 843; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17040843 - 10 Feb 2024
Viewed by 1170
Abstract
A significant amount of logging residue is produced during roundwood harvesting. Logs are often left in forest sites due to, for example, ecological or logistical aspects. Taking into account the fact that the number of studies focused on changes in the properties of [...] Read more.
A significant amount of logging residue is produced during roundwood harvesting. Logs are often left in forest sites due to, for example, ecological or logistical aspects. Taking into account the fact that the number of studies focused on changes in the properties of the residue is very low, it was decided to conduct research on the effect of a three-year storage period in forest stands on the chemical properties and energy potential of the wood. The research design allowed for the determination of changes during up to three years of storage. The performed analysis showed a highly negative impact on the characteristics of the material. These adverse effects were probably caused by the activity of microorganisms such as fungi and bacteria, as evidenced by the increased concentrations of ergosterol and low-molecular-weight organic acids. Moreover, it was found that wood stored for three years was characterized by a lower cellulose content; an increased percentage of lignin; a reduced content of sterols (desmosterol, stigmasterol, lanosterol and β-sitosterol) and phenolic acids; and reduced antioxidant activity, as determined with the ABTS+ method. Storing logs also led to a reduction in the energy potential of the residues, as shown by a reduction in net and gross calorific value and an increased ash content. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Key Technologies and Challenges of Biomass and Bioenergy System)
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10 pages, 278 KiB  
Article
Potential of Pine Needle Biomass for Bioethanol Production
by Aleksandra Wawro, Jakub Jakubowski, Weronika Gieparda, Zenon Pilarek and Agnieszka Łacka
Energies 2023, 16(9), 3949; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16093949 - 8 May 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3324
Abstract
Currently, fossil fuels are used to produce fuels and electricity, which are finite sources and have a negative impact on the natural environment. An excellent alternative to these fuels is biofuels, such as bioethanol from waste forest biomass. Pine needles are one of [...] Read more.
Currently, fossil fuels are used to produce fuels and electricity, which are finite sources and have a negative impact on the natural environment. An excellent alternative to these fuels is biofuels, such as bioethanol from waste forest biomass. Pine needles are one of the most important available forest biomass materials with s significant impact on local understory vegetation. Forest waste biomass, which is a rich source of lignocellulose, can be used in various ways, such as for the eco-economical production of bioethanol. The aim of this study was to analyze the possibilities of bioethanol production from pine needle biomass obtained from forest land following different soil preparations and logging residue management. The pine needle dry matter yield, chemical components of pine needle biomass (cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin), and the amount of ethanol yield per hectare were evaluated. The highest average yield pine needle equal to 6.17 Mg∙ha−1 was observed. Bioethanol yield per hectare from this biomass was the highest for plowing with the LPZ-75 plow and was 1.08 m3∙ha−1. The discussed results were confirmed by detailed statistical analysis. To sum up, the researched pine needle biomass turned out to be an interesting raw material with the potential for bioethanol production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Key Technologies and Challenges of Biomass and Bioenergy System)
16 pages, 1108 KiB  
Article
Characterization of Agricultural Residues of Zea mays for Their Application as Solid Biofuel: Case Study in San Francisco Pichátaro, Michoacán, Mexico
by Cindy Nereida Morales-Máximo, Luis Bernardo López-Sosa, José Guadalupe Rutiaga-Quiñones, Juan Carlos Corral-Huacuz, Arturo Aguilera-Mandujano, Luis Fernando Pintor-Ibarra, Armando López-Miranda, Sharbaal Nicolás Delgado-Domínguez, María del Carmen Rodríguez-Magallón and Mario Morales-Máximo
Energies 2022, 15(19), 6870; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15196870 - 20 Sep 2022
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 2225
Abstract
This proposal evaluates the energy potential of agricultural residues of Zea mays from an indigenous community in Mexico. The study consists of four stages: (a) evaluation of residue production in all community farming areas (b) morphological and physicochemical characterization, using scanning electron microscopy [...] Read more.
This proposal evaluates the energy potential of agricultural residues of Zea mays from an indigenous community in Mexico. The study consists of four stages: (a) evaluation of residue production in all community farming areas (b) morphological and physicochemical characterization, using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), as well as infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Raman (c) the proximal and functional evaluation of the residues, through fiber analysis, determination of fixed carbon, humidity, estimation of calorific value, ash microanalysis and elemental analysis, and (d) evaluation of energy potential and multicriteria analysis. The results show that Z. mays residues have initial moisture values of less than 10%, ash content below 20%, fixed carbon around 14% and a calorific value of 17.6 MJ/kg associated with polymeric compounds and carbohydrates, as well as a percentage of extractable compounds of the order of 40%. The production of these residues on the 249 hectares (ha) of cultivation used would generate 23 TJ/year, whereas if the total number of hectares available were cultivated, the total energy generation would be 330 TJ/year, which is enough to satisfy the wood fuel demand of approximately seven communities with the characteristics of the study community. Due to this potential, as well as the results of the characterization, the agricultural mentioned residues are an energy alternative to meet the energy demand in communities in Michoacán, Mexico. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Key Technologies and Challenges of Biomass and Bioenergy System)
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23 pages, 4639 KiB  
Article
Sustainable Agro-Biomass Market for Urban Heating Using Centralized District Heating System
by Anna Duczkowska, Ewa Kulińska, Zbigniew Plutecki and Joanna Rut
Energies 2022, 15(12), 4268; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15124268 - 10 Jun 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2141
Abstract
The importance of biomass for energy production is included in the government program “Energy Policy of Poland until 2040”. Biomass is one of the most stable renewable energy sources (RES), and its resources are the largest of all alternative energy sources. The paper [...] Read more.
The importance of biomass for energy production is included in the government program “Energy Policy of Poland until 2040”. Biomass is one of the most stable renewable energy sources (RES), and its resources are the largest of all alternative energy sources. The paper presents and discusses the most important conditions that are related to the possible usage of the biomass that is obtained from agriculture for heating purposes. The aim of the study is to assess the energy potential of a selected agro-biomass and to indicate its effective use for the production of district heat. The research uses: in-depth statistical data analysis (data were obtained from the Central Statistical Office and the Agency for Restructuring and Modernization of Agriculture), inference methods, short- and long-term forecasting, the minimum spanning tree (MST) algorithm, and methods of single- and multi-criteria optimization for the selection of the most advantageous variant. The research covers three different scenarios: optimistic, moderate, and pessimistic. The results of the study present: technical and energy potential of biomass, taking into account its type, energy properties, and places of its collection; optimum location of intermediate storage and processing sites; and the optimum storage frequency of its transport to energy companies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Key Technologies and Challenges of Biomass and Bioenergy System)
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Review

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15 pages, 1949 KiB  
Review
Conversion of Biomass to Chemicals via Electrofermentation of Lactic Acid Bacteria
by Johanna C. Winder, Mark Hewlett, Ping Liu and John Love
Energies 2022, 15(22), 8638; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15228638 - 17 Nov 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2507
Abstract
Microbial electrosynthesis is the process of supplying electrons to microorganisms to reduce CO2 and yield industrially relevant products. Such systems are limited by their requirement for high currents, resulting in challenges to cell survival. Electrofermentation is an electron-efficient form of microbial electrosynthesis [...] Read more.
Microbial electrosynthesis is the process of supplying electrons to microorganisms to reduce CO2 and yield industrially relevant products. Such systems are limited by their requirement for high currents, resulting in challenges to cell survival. Electrofermentation is an electron-efficient form of microbial electrosynthesis in which a small cathodic or anodic current is provided to a culture to alter the oxidation–reduction potential of the medium and, in turn, alter microbial metabolism. This approach has been successfully utilised to increase yields of diverse products including biogas, butanediol and lactate. Biomass conversion to lactate is frequently facilitated by ensiling plant biomass with homofermentative lactic acid bacteria. Although most commonly used as a preservative in ensiled animal feed, lactate has diverse industrial applications as a precursor for the production of probiotics, biofuels, bioplastics and platform chemicals. Lactate yields by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are constrained by a number of redox limitations which must be overcome while maintaining profitability and sustainability. To date, electrofermentation has not been scaled past laboratory- or pilot-stage reactions. The increasing ease of genetic modification in a wide range of LAB species may prove key to overcoming some of the pitfalls of electrofermentation at commercial scale. This review explores the history of electrofermentation as a tool for controlling redox balance within bacterial biocatalysts, and the potential for electrofermentation to increase lactate production from low-value plant biomass. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Key Technologies and Challenges of Biomass and Bioenergy System)
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