scholarly journals Global mapping of cost‐effective microalgal biofuel production areas with minimal environmental impact

GCB Bioenergy ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 914-929 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diego F. Correa ◽  
Hawthorne L. Beyer ◽  
Hugh P. Possingham ◽  
Skye R. Thomas‐Hall ◽  
Peer M. Schenk
Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (8) ◽  
pp. 2238
Author(s):  
Eng-Poh Ng ◽  
Nur Hidayahni Ahmad ◽  
Fitri Khoerunnisa ◽  
Svetlana Mintova ◽  
Tau Chuan Ling ◽  
...  

Offretite zeolite synthesis in the presence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTABr) is reported. The offretite crystals were synthesized with a high crystallinity and hexagonal prismatic shape after only 72 h of hydrothermal treatment at 180 °C. The CTABr has dual-functions during the crystallization of offretite, viz. as structure-directing agent and as mesoporogen. The resulting offretite crystals, with a Si/Al ratio of 4.1, possess more acid sites than the conventional offretite due to their high crystallinity and hierarchical structure. The synthesized offretite is also more reactive than its conventional counterpart in the acylation of 2-methylfuran for biofuel production under non-microwave instant heating condition, giving 83.5% conversion with 100% selectivity to the desired product 2-acetyl-5-methylfuran. Hence, this amphiphile synthesis approach offers another cost-effective and alternative route for crystallizing zeolite materials that require expensive organic templates.


Author(s):  
Yan Cui ◽  
Wenqiao Wayne Yuan ◽  
Zhijian Pei

Continuous use of petroleum derived fuels is widely recognized as unsustainable due to depleting supplies and the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the environment. Renewable, carbon neutral transport fuels are needed for environmental and economic sustainabilities. Algae have been demonstrated to be one of the most promising sources for biofuel production. However, large-scale algae production and harvesting for energy manufacturing are too costly using existing methods. The approach of growing algae on solid carriers is innovative and can potentially lead to cost-effective manufacturing of algae biofuels. As cells approach to the solid surface, many factors come in to influence microbial attachment such as the surface wettability, free energy, polarity, roughness and topography. Surface wettability plays an important role in the initial cell attachment. For further contact, surface free energy and polarity are more directly related to cell-substratum attachment strength. Surface roughness and texture are species-specific parameters and have been applied widely in attachment studies.


2016 ◽  
Vol 129 ◽  
pp. 704-713 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luca Benvenuti ◽  
Alberto De Santis ◽  
Fabio Santesarti ◽  
Luigino Tocca

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (19) ◽  
pp. 6025
Author(s):  
Marcin Dębowski ◽  
Magda Dudek ◽  
Marcin Zieliński ◽  
Anna Nowicka ◽  
Joanna Kazimierowicz

Hydrogen is an environmentally friendly biofuel which, if widely used, could reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide emissions. The main barrier to the widespread use of hydrogen for power generation is the lack of technologically feasible and—more importantly—cost-effective methods of production and storage. So far, hydrogen has been produced using thermochemical methods (such as gasification, pyrolysis or water electrolysis) and biological methods (most of which involve anaerobic digestion and photofermentation), with conventional fuels, waste or dedicated crop biomass used as a feedstock. Microalgae possess very high photosynthetic efficiency, can rapidly build biomass, and possess other beneficial properties, which is why they are considered to be one of the strongest contenders among biohydrogen production technologies. This review gives an account of present knowledge on microalgal hydrogen production and compares it with the other available biofuel production technologies.


2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 291-315
Author(s):  
Rudy Kahsar ◽  

Renewable energy technology is often seen as a positive expression of technology, meeting energy needs with minimal environmental impact. But, by integrating nature (e.g., wind and sunlight) with the ordering of the electric grid, renewables silently convert that nature into what Martin Heidegger referred to as standing reserve—resources of the technological commodity chain to be ordered, controlled, converted, and consumed on demand. However, it may be possible to mitigate the downsides of this process through a transition to more decentralized, local sources of renewable energy operations and management that maintain awareness of the ways in which energy is generated and distributed.


Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (20) ◽  
pp. 5300
Author(s):  
Mamata Singhvi ◽  
Beom Soo Kim

The conversion of lignocellulosic biomass (LB) to sugar is an intricate process which is the costliest part of the biomass conversion process. Even though acid/enzyme catalysts are usually being used for LB hydrolysis, enzyme immobilization has been recognized as a potential strategy nowadays. The use of nanobiocatalysts increases hydrolytic efficiency and enzyme stability. Furthermore, biocatalyst/enzyme immobilization on magnetic nanoparticles enables easy recovery and reuse of enzymes. Hence, the exploitation of nanobiocatalysts for LB to biofuel conversion will aid in developing a lucrative and sustainable approach. With this perspective, the effects of nanobiocatalysts on LB to biofuel production were reviewed here. Several traits, such as switching the chemical processes using nanomaterials, enzyme immobilization on nanoparticles for higher reaction rates, recycling ability and toxicity effects on microbial cells, were highlighted in this review. Current developments and viability of nanobiocatalysts as a promising option for enhanced LB conversion into the biofuel process were also emphasized. Mostly, this would help in emerging eco-friendly, proficient, and cost-effective biofuel technology.


2013 ◽  
Vol 850-851 ◽  
pp. 1360-1363 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jing Yi Ma ◽  
Xing Yu Chen ◽  
Wei Su

Garbage incineration is an effective minimization and resource processing methods, but there are no comparative analysises about the environmental impact of incineration processes. To investigate the environmental impacts of three typical MSW incineration processes, we modeled scenarios, calculated energy consumed and six aspects which classified as GWP, ODP, AP, EP, POCP and DUST. The classification results showed the value of the environment impact potential respectively. The impact potential of heat recover-dry absorption processes according to normalized results in descending order is GWP>EP>DUST>AP>POCP>ODP, in contrast the rank of heat recover-wet absorption and semidry processes is GWP>EP>AP>DUST>POCP>ODP, global warming impacts is the most significant penitential factor. The rank of impact potential according to weight factor in descending order is GWP>EP>DUST>AP>ODP>POCP. Dust potential became more significant. The weight factor of Dust is almost twice as much as that of AP. This is because there is a large gap between baseline level and the target level, the solid-waste are the focus of control in these years. In environmental terms, the environmental depletion index of heat recover-dry absorption process is lowest with minimal environmental impact and the heat recover-wet absorption process is the highest with largest environmental impact. The incineration with dry absorption program is the best environment-friendly process in term of environmental impact. Utilization of waste water and reducing total amount of water entering the system can effectively reduce the environmental implication for both HW and HS processes.


1992 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 413
Author(s):  
Peter Farrell ◽  
John Yeates

A mosaic-like compendium of information on the marine biotic environment of the North West Shelf has been compiled from a number of different sources. The areas most valued coincide with those most vulnerable to disturbance. Regulatory authorities require some form of impact assessment to be carried out by oil and gas explorers and producers as a condition of operation. Considerable expenditure is incurred annually by these companies in complying with these requirements, but current assessment methods do not always consider the scale of possible impacts nor the scientific validity of the results. Despite acceptance, and therefore implied approval of these assessments by the regulatory authorities, adjustments should be made to the current methodology to improve the cost effectiveness of the assessments and to improve the scientific validity of the results.Design of environmental impact assessment of exploration and production operations should consider the relative weighting given to potential acute versus chronic impacts. Prediction of possible impacts enables quantifiable relevant parameters for impact assessment to be identified. Monitoring of indicator species is a cost-effective method of detecting acute effects. Community census methods can be used to detect chronic effects.Statistical analysis of data is a vital, yet frequently ignored, aspect of environmental impact assessment, as is the depositing of voucher specimens for future reference. Statistical analysis can be based on either changes in the difference between specific parameters at the impact and control sites, or comparison of variance between sites over time. Decisions regarding sample area and number of sample replicates should be made based on the required precision of the assessment.


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