Bioenergy/biofuels

A National Non-Food Crops Centre (NNFCC) was established by the government in 2003. It has evolved into a consultancy company which offers services to producers and consumers on bioenergy, biofuels and bio-based products. 

Rainer Janssen (bioenergy, biofuels, RE strategies and policies, capacity building and communication strategies), WIP Renewable Energies, Miinchen... 

The sources of biofuels and the methods for bioenergy production are too numerous for an exliaustive list to be described in detail here. Instead, electricity production using direct combustion, gasification, pyrolysis, and digester gas, and two transportation biofuels, ethanol and biodiesel, are discussed below. 

Another emerging area m biofuels is pyrolysis, which is the decomposition of biomass into other more usable fuels using a high-temperature anaerobic process. Pyrolysis converts biomass into charcoal and a liquid called biocrude. This liquid has a high energy density and is cheaper to transport and store than the unconverted biomass. Biocrude can be burned in boilers or used in a gas turbine. Biocrude also can be chemical by altered into other fuels or chemicals. Use of pyrolysis may make bioenergy more feasible in regions not near biomass sources. Biocrude is about two to four times more expensive than petroleum crude. 

Cherubini, F. Bird, N.D. Cowie, A. Jungmeier, G. Schlamadinger, B. Woess-Gal-lasch, S. Energy- and Greenhouse Gas-based LCA of Biofuel and Bioenergy Systems Key Issues, Ranges and Recommendations. Resou. Conser. Recy. 2009, 53, 434-447. 

The Department of Energy (DOE) is helping six firms build cellulosic biorefineries with grants totaling about 385 million. When fully operational, the six plants will produce more than 130 million gallons of cellulosic ethanol a year. DOE is also investing 375 million into three new Bioenergy Research Centers to speed up the development of cellulosic ethanol and other biofuels. 

H. Sauthoff Bioenergy and Biofuels -Opportunity or Threat for Oils and Fats Trading , Handout FOSFA Contact Day , London, September 8, 2005. 

Main Issues and Perspectives on Bioenergy and Biofuels in Relation to Catalysis... 

We may differentiate between direct conversion of biomass into bioenergy (electricity and heat, solid fuels from biogenic wastes and residues, biogas, etc.) and biofuels. Catalysis has a minor role in the first case but is a critical element in the production of biofuels. However, notably, there are also potentially interesting developments related to bioenergy. 

Biomass, both from residues/wastes and dedicated crops, can be converted not only into bioenergy (electricity, heat) and biofuels for transport but also into bulk chemicals or materials that are nearly equivalent to, or sometimes even better than, those derived from fossil hydrocarbons. 

Kim, S., Dale, B.E. 2005. Life cycle assessment of various cropping systems utilized for produe-ing biofuels bioethanol and biodiesel. Biomass Bioenergy 29 426 39. 

Koistinen R. and Huotari J., "Factors that restricts the grate capacity during grate combustion of biofuels" (in Swedish) in the conference Bioenergy 86, 27-30 Oct in Gothenburgh, Sweden, 87-100 (1986). 

Sustainable Bioenergy a Framework for Decision Makers (2007), http //esa.un. org/un-energy/pdf/susdev.Biofuels. FAO.pdf. 

---