Strategies for the Mobilization and Deployment of Local Low-Value, Heterogeneous Biomass Resources for a Circular Bioeconomy

With the Bioeconomy Strategy, Europe aims to strengthen and boost biobased sectors. Therefore, investments in and markets of biobased value chains have to be unlocked and local bioeconomies across Europe have to be deployed. Compliance with environmental and social sustainability goals is on top of the agenda. The current biomass provision structures are unfit to take on the diversity of biomass residues and their respective supply chains and cannot ensure the sustainability of feedstock supply in an ecological, social and economical fashion. Therefore, we have to address the research question on feasible strategies for mobilizing and deploying local, low-value and heterogeneous biomass resources. We are building upon the work of the IEA Bioenergy Task40 scientists and their expertise on international bioenergy trade and the current provision of bioenergy and cluster mobilization measures into three assessment levels; the legislative framework, technological innovation and market creation. The challenges and opportunity of the three assessment levels point towards a common denominator: The quantification of the systemic value of strengthening the potentially last remaining primary economic sectors, forestry, agriculture and aquaculture, is missing. With the eroding importance of other primary economic sectors, including fossil fuel extraction and minerals mining, the time is now to assess and act upon the value of the supply-side of a circular bioeconomy. This value includes the support the Bioeconomy can provide to structurally vulnerable regions by creating meaningful jobs and activities in and strengthening the resource democratic significance of rural areas.

Study on the Removal of Lignin from Pre-hydrolysis Liquor by Laccase Induced Polymerization and the Conversion of Xylose to Furfural

Eucalyptus dissolving kraft pulp pre-hydrolysis Liquor (PHL) is rich in sugar and other biomass resources, which can produce furfural and may serve as a platform molecule for sustainable fuel production....

Estimation Method of Biomass Energy Reserves in China: A Case Study of Corn Straw

Nowadays, biomass resources are the best choice to replace fossil resources. Energy development in biomass is mainly through pyrolysis of biomass. At present, no one has estimated how much biomass energy there is for a country. In this article, taking corn as an example, China as the production country, the potential biomass resources in China are speculated, in which Lignocellulose is the main experimental biomass and pyrolyzed to obtain biomass energy. The most common method of biomass energy conversion is isothermal conversion. The first-order reaction model is used for kinetic analysis of the conversion. The sample is subjected to powder falling pyrolysis at 480 degrees. In order to overcome the regional differences in China, the data of 30 degrees north latitude are used. Finally, the reaction time and the total amount of biomass energy available for development and utilization in China in 2020 are obtained.

Sustainability Evaluation of Polyhydroxyalkanoate Production from Slaughterhouse Residues Utilising Emergy Accounting

High raw material prices and rivalry from the food industry have hampered the adoption of renewable resource-based goods. It has necessitated the investigation of cost-cutting strategies such as locating low-cost raw material supplies and adopting cleaner manufacturing processes. Exploiting waste streams as substitute resources for the operations is one low-cost option. The present study evaluates the environmental burden of biopolymer (polyhydroxyalkanoate) production from slaughtering residues. The sustainability of the PHA production process will be assessed utilising the Emergy Accounting methodology. The effect of changing energy resources from business as usual (i.e., electricity mix from the grid and heat provision utilising natural gas) to different renewable energy resources is also evaluated. The emergy intensity for PHA production (seJ/g) shows a minor improvement ranging from 1.5% to 2% by changing only the electricity provision resources. This impact reaches up to 17% when electricity and heat provision resources are replaced with biomass resources. Similarly, the emergy intensity for PHA production using electricity EU27 mix, coal, hydropower, wind power, and biomass is about 5% to 7% lower than the emergy intensity of polyethylene high density (PE-HD). In comparison, its value is up to 21% lower for electricity and heat provision from biomass.

Potential of Forest Biomass Resources for Renewable Energy Production in the Czech Republic

In the European Green Deal and the Climate Act, the European Union has committed itself to achieving climate neutrality by 2050. This goal is to be achieved by joint efforts of all economic sectors, including forestry and its downstream sectors. One way to attain this goal is the effective and sustainable use of forest biomass for energy production. This article aims to quantify the potential of forest biomass resources for the production of electrical and thermal energy based on official departmental statistics, the current legal framework for forestry and the environment, and research results in the context of an extreme change in the raw material base due to the ongoing calamity caused by the spread of insect pests in the Czech Republic. This extreme can classify as a significant risk to the security of the energy supply from renewable sources in the event of oversizing new installed energy production from renewable sources. Based on data and calculations, an overall annual volume of dendromass available for energy production in the Czech Republic for the period extending to 2036 was quantified at the value of 13.473 million tons per year. Consequently, it is clear that the overall dendromass resources for energy production in the Czech Republic are not sufficient to achieve the EU’s ambitious objective.

An Overview of Recent Advancements in Microbial Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) Production from Dark Fermentation Acidogenic Effluents: A Path to an Integrated Bio-Refinery

Global energy consumption has been increasing in tandem with economic growth motivating researchers to focus on renewable energy sources. Dark fermentative hydrogen synthesis utilizing various biomass resources is a promising, less costly, and less energy-intensive bioprocess relative to other biohydrogen production routes. The generated acidogenic dark fermentative effluent [e.g., volatile fatty acids (VFAs)] has potential as a reliable and sustainable carbon substrate for polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) synthesis. PHA, an important alternative to petrochemical based polymers has attracted interest recently, owing to its biodegradability and biocompatibility. This review illustrates methods for the conversion of acidogenic effluents (VFAs), such as acetate, butyrate, propionate, lactate, valerate, and mixtures of VFAs, into the value-added compound PHA. In addition, the review provides a comprehensive update on research progress of VFAs to PHA conversion and related enhancement techniques including optimization of operational parameters, fermentation strategies, and genetic engineering approaches. Finally, potential bottlenecks and future directions for the conversion of VFAs to PHA are outlined. This review offers insights to researchers on an integrated biorefinery route for sustainable and cost-effective bioplastics production.

Strategies for the Mobilization and Deployment of Local Low-Value, Heterogeneous Biomass Resources for a Circular Bieconomy

The European Bioeconomy Strategy aims to strengthen and boost biobased sectors, unlocking investments and markets while rapidly deploying local bioeconomies across Europe and improving compliance with environmental and social sustainability goals. Current biomass provision structures and infrastructure might not be able to tap the sustainable potential of forestry-, agricultural residues and biogenic waste envisaged forming the biogenic feedstock base of the Circular Bioeconomy of tomorrow. Therefore, for the present paper, we assess mobilization strategies, their current status, opportunities, and barriers for local low value and heterogenous biomass resources. Based on discussions with bioenergy supply chain experts, we cluster mobilization measures into three assessment levels; the legislative framework, market structures and technological innovation. Scientific literature research on the respective keywords is performed, the European policy landscape mapped, and the results are enriched with anecdotal evidence, especially for recent and running projects and market developments that lack in published track records. We can identify research needs on all three assessment levels. Still, technological development and legislative frameworks are providing support for heterogeneous biomass mobilization. Market creation, however, represents a bottleneck. We provide novel perspectives, how physical- and virtual bio-hubs and crediting stake- and shareholder variety could create added-value based on sustainable primary economic activities and their cascading activities.

Cobalt Supported on Activated Biochar as Catalyst for Green Diesel Production

Green Diesel (diesel-like hydrocarbon) can be produced from biomass resources that contain fatty acids, such as palm fruit, palm kernel, and soybean, through deoxygenation reaction. In this study, the catalytic activity of cobalt catalyst supported on activated biochar in deoxygenation of fatty acid (stearic acid) is investigated. Stearic acid is used as a model compound of vegetable oil. The obtained results show cobalt supported on activated biochar exhibited higher catalytic activity compared to cobalt supported on unactivated biochar.