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Research of Biomass Feedstock and Biomass Energy Conversion

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (1 August 2022) | Viewed by 13388

Special Issue Editors

Department of Wood Chemical Technology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, 60-637 Poznań, Poland
Interests: domestic species of osier; biomass; energy generation
Department of Wood Chemical Technology, University of Life Sciences in Poznan, 60-637 Poznań, Poland
Interests: lignocellulosic biomass; chemical conversion

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The biomass feedstock includes agricultural and forest residues to municipal and industrial waste. Although usually in solid form (plant material, wood, bark, leaves and needles, forest residues or food waste), biomass can sometimes be processed in liquid form (e.g. waste water and black liquor from pulp and paper industry) or gaseous (e.g. methane from a cow manure).

Regarding sustainability and ecology, environmental and social issues related to the biomass harvesting and processing methods are of significant importance.

In addition, the sustainable use of biomass poses a great challenge for scientists and managers in the field of biomass and energy.

We would like to encourage researchers dealing with the broadly understood biomass and its conversion for energy purposes to discuss this topic in a special Issue:  Biomass Feedstock and Biomass Energy Conversion

Prof. Dr. Boguslawa Waliszewska
Prof. Dr. Magdalena Zborowska
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

  • cellulose
  • lignin
  • hemicelluloses
  • biomass residues
  • bioenergy potential
  • renewable energy
  • biofuels
  • waste biomass
  • municipal waste
  • organic waste
  • waste valorization
  • biodiesel production
  • biofuel production
  • syngas production
  • hydrogen production
  • feedstocks conversion pathways
  • non-fossil feedstock

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 3400 KiB  
Article
Wood Biomass Resources in Poland Depending on Forest Structure and Industrial Processing of Wood Raw Material
by Marek Wieruszewski, Aleksandra Górna, Katarzyna Mydlarz and Krzysztof Adamowicz
Energies 2022, 15(13), 4897; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en15134897 - 04 Jul 2022
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 1720
Abstract
(1) Wood is a widely available raw material on the market, which satisfies the industrial demand and which is used both as a source of biomass for the wood materials industry in a broad sense and for energy-supplying purposes. These areas prove the [...] Read more.
(1) Wood is a widely available raw material on the market, which satisfies the industrial demand and which is used both as a source of biomass for the wood materials industry in a broad sense and for energy-supplying purposes. These areas prove the functional values and the possibilities of the directional use of low-quality wood products. One of the factors influencing the overall balance of the wood biomass is the form and quality of the wood material that cannot be further processed mechanically. This study was conducted to determine the influence of this material by presenting the dependence between the level of wood biomass resources and the conditions of wood acquisition and processing in Poland. (2) The basic directions of biomass acquisition were verified in correlation with the level of its acquisition from forest areas and with the form of by-products generated by sawmills. The research was based on the data from reference publications and analysis of the processing of raw wood in sawmills. The research was conducted on raw hardwood and softwood from coniferous and deciduous forests in Poland. (3) The research confirmed the influence of the processing method on the form and share of by-products. It also showed that the form of the wood biomass obtained was influenced by the region of Poland. (4) The research showed that the regionalisation and wood processing directions were correlated with the structure of the wood biomass acquired. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research of Biomass Feedstock and Biomass Energy Conversion)
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16 pages, 1565 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of the Effects of Using the Giant Miscanthus (Miscanthus × Giganteus) Biomass in Various Energy Conversion Processes
by Alina Kowalczyk-Juśko, Andrzej Mazur, Patrycja Pochwatka, Damian Janczak and Jacek Dach
Energies 2022, 15(10), 3486; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en15103486 - 10 May 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1461
Abstract
The giant miscanthus (Miscanthus × giganteus) is one of the most essential energy plants. It also finds various alternative uses, including installing belts to prevent soil erosion. Biomass from such belts should be removed and rationally managed every year. The parameters [...] Read more.
The giant miscanthus (Miscanthus × giganteus) is one of the most essential energy plants. It also finds various alternative uses, including installing belts to prevent soil erosion. Biomass from such belts should be removed and rationally managed every year. The parameters of miscanthus biomass were investigated in terms of its suitability for combustion and anaerobic fermentation. Under the conditions of the experiment, miscanthus achieved a stable yield already in the second year of vegetation, mainly due to the high planting density. Energy parameters turned out to be typical for straw biomass (calorific value 18.06 MJ/kg). Relatively low ash melting temperatures (<1400 °C) and their chemical composition meant a high risk of contamination depositing on heating devices, which is often indicated as a shortcoming of biomass compared to hard coal. Miscanthus silage can be a valuable substrate for anaerobic digestion, but it requires a sufficiently early harvest, which affects the yield of biomass. The yield of energy in biomass obtained after drying plants was 163,623.6 MJ/ha. In contrast, the yield of energy from biomass collected in summer and processed into biomethane was much lower and amounted to 72,978.2 MJ/ha. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research of Biomass Feedstock and Biomass Energy Conversion)
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15 pages, 1440 KiB  
Article
Helianthus salicifolius as a New Biomass Source for Biogas Production
by Dumitru Peni, Marcin Dębowski and Mariusz J. Stolarski
Energies 2022, 15(8), 2921; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en15082921 - 15 Apr 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1288
Abstract
Renewable energy is becoming a widely discussed topic in the European Union (EU), due to a desire to reduce the negative effects of fossil fuels on climate change and biodiversity. About 60% of the total renewable energy produced in the EU is derived [...] Read more.
Renewable energy is becoming a widely discussed topic in the European Union (EU), due to a desire to reduce the negative effects of fossil fuels on climate change and biodiversity. About 60% of the total renewable energy produced in the EU is derived from biomass. Anaerobic digestion (AD) is an important pathway to convert biomass into biogas and then into bioenergy. Helianthus salicifolius is a perennial plant, whose biomass can serve as a co-substrate in biogas plants. Biomass composition, in addition to the biomethane and biogas potential, were investigated in raw green biomass and silage obtained from Helianthus salicifolius plants grown under different types (mineral and organic) and doses (0, 85, 170 kg N ha−1) of nitrogen fertilization. The biomethane production efficiency from Helianthus salicifolius was recorded for 25 days and found to range on average between 169.4 NL kg−1 VS for raw biomass and 193.2 NL kg−1 VS for silage. It follows from the current study that ensiling increases substrate digestibility and has a positive impact on methane concentration, but the biomethane and biogas production outputs from those substrates did not differ significantly at the end of the process. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research of Biomass Feedstock and Biomass Energy Conversion)
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14 pages, 4236 KiB  
Article
Conversion of Carbohydrates in Lignocellulosic Biomass after Chemical Pretreatment
by Magdalena Zborowska, Hanna Waliszewska, Boguslawa Waliszewska, Slawomir Borysiak, Jakub Brozdowski and Agata Stachowiak-Wencek
Energies 2022, 15(1), 254; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en15010254 - 31 Dec 2021
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2346
Abstract
The aim of the study was to determine the quantitative and qualitative changes taking place in biomass components actively participating in methane fermentation, i.e., in carbohydrates, as a result of chemical pretreatment. Analyses were conducted on agricultural waste (corn stover, also called corn [...] Read more.
The aim of the study was to determine the quantitative and qualitative changes taking place in biomass components actively participating in methane fermentation, i.e., in carbohydrates, as a result of chemical pretreatment. Analyses were conducted on agricultural waste (corn stover, also called corn straw, and corncobs) as materials most commonly used in methane fermentation, as well as poplar wood, a material relatively rarely used in biogas production. Pretreatment with the aim of increasing efficiency of methane fermentation was carried out with the use of acid and alkaline solutions of different concentrations. The effect of pretreatment on carbohydrates was analyzed based on the quantitative and qualitative changes in this component. Due to the structural heterogeneity of carbohydrates, their varied reactivity and fermentability were determined in terms of holocellulose, cellulose, and pentosans. The chemical structure of cellulose was also analyzed. It is shown in this study that chemical pretreatment causes transformations of carbohydrate components, which differ quantitatively and qualitatively in the compared raw materials. It was found that the alkaline treatment caused smaller changes in the percentage shares of the carbohydrate biomass components as compared to the acid treatment. Moreover, it was observed that the compared materials differ in terms of quantitative changes in their chemical composition depending on the composition of the raw material prior to pretreatment. In the case of corn waste subjected to the action of 1 and 3% NaOH, the share of pentosans in the biomass increased. It was established that this is a change with a positive effect on fermentation efficiency. The action of acids and alkalis on the biomass led to similar structural changes in cellulose, which are adverse for the fermentation process. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research of Biomass Feedstock and Biomass Energy Conversion)
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17 pages, 646 KiB  
Article
Mineral Contents in Aboveground Biomass of Sedges (Carex L., Cyperaceae)
by Magdalena Janyszek-Sołtysiak, Mieczysław Grzelak, Piotr Gajewski, Andrzej M. Jagodziński, Eliza Gaweł and Dorota Wrońska-Pilarek
Energies 2021, 14(23), 8007; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en14238007 - 30 Nov 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1677
Abstract
The importance of mineral elements, both in animal and plant nutrition, has been well recognized, but, in the case of sedges, the mineral composition is relatively poorly known. Studies usually relate to the content of the elements in sedge communities, or sward or [...] Read more.
The importance of mineral elements, both in animal and plant nutrition, has been well recognized, but, in the case of sedges, the mineral composition is relatively poorly known. Studies usually relate to the content of the elements in sedge communities, or sward or hay communities with sedge participation, and rarely of Carex representatives. The objective of our study was to determine the concentrations of C, N, Ca, P, Mg, Na, K, Si, Cu, Zn, Mn, Fe, Cr and Ni in the biomass of 11 Carex species commonly occurring on natural sites of Central European lowland. Interspecific differentiations have been observed in concentrations of the major and trace elements among studied sedge species. The elemental composition of examined Carex species is diversified but generally similar to the composition of grasses. The study shows that sedges can increase fodder value and, therefore, they should be considered in meadow management as a valuable component of economically important meadow communities. Moreover, the data reported herein can be used for modelling the phytoaccumulation of various elements in the biomass of sedges. This will help in creating different patches suitable for obtaining adequate fodder. Our results can supplement current knowledge concerning the fodder value of meadows with sedge participation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research of Biomass Feedstock and Biomass Energy Conversion)
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Review

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17 pages, 2078 KiB  
Review
Rice Straw Utilisation for Bioenergy Production: A Brief Overview
by Siti Norliyana Harun, Marlia Mohd Hanafiah and Noorashikin Md Noor
Energies 2022, 15(15), 5542; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en15155542 - 30 Jul 2022
Cited by 21 | Viewed by 4081
Abstract
Unsustainable rice straw management causes environmental impacts; hence, utilisation of rice straw for bioenergy is a promising strategy for sustainable rice straw management. Although rice straw has a high potential for bioenergy generation, the whole production cycle and application may cause environmental damage [...] Read more.
Unsustainable rice straw management causes environmental impacts; hence, utilisation of rice straw for bioenergy is a promising strategy for sustainable rice straw management. Although rice straw has a high potential for bioenergy generation, the whole production cycle and application may cause environmental damage that is not fully understood. Hence, environmental performance studies are required to determine the most effective rice straw utilisation options. A comprehensive approach, such as life-cycle assessment (LCA), can give comprehensive information on the possible environmental effects of rice straw utilisation for bioenergy. Therefore, this study briefly overviews the LCA of rice straw utilisation for bioenergy production. It is found that utilisation of rice straw for bioenergy could reduce global warming potential compared to energy production from fossil fuels. However, it is suggested that other impact categories in LCA be evaluated in the bioenergy production from rice straw research to determine the overall sustainability of the production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research of Biomass Feedstock and Biomass Energy Conversion)
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