Residual Biomass

The Renewables-Intensive Global Energy Scenario (RIGES) predicts a primary energy potential from biomass resources for Western Europe to be 14160 PJ/year by 2025 and 14 170 PJ/year by 2050 (Johansson et al., 1993). Thereby the biomass potential comprises resources from wood, energy crops, agricultural residues and industrial biomass residues. The estimates are based on the biomass production at that time in combination with assumptions of future growth rates. 

The alternative pathway is the biochemical route. It processes starches/sugars into ethanol, a standard technology with installations world-wide, but in a biorefinery the start is the whole-plant material or biomass residues containing hemicel-lulose, which is broken into sugars that then can be fermented to ethanol and/or other alcohols such as butanol. As mentioned before, there is the need to develop novel and/or improved biocatalysts for alternative organic fuels, such as biobutanol, by fermentation processes. 

Biomass residues from agriculture cultivation and harvesting 4.6 GT/y (Carbon equivalents)... 

This section reviews the challenges faced by the exploitation of CO2, stranded methane, and biomass residues in an attempt to highlight areas where technology breakthroughs and research efforts are needed. 

Hydrogen production based on gasification (biomass, residues or coal) should be further assessed, to lay the basis for a broader feedstock for hydrogen as well as for a dramatic reduction of GHG emissions. In this context the general distribution of biomass to stationary and transport markets needs to be addressed on a political level. Similarly C02 capture... 

The impetus for displacing fossil fuels with biomass in heat and power combustion systems is typically to reduce emissions of C02, and of NOx, SOx, and other air toxics, or to improve utilization of biomass residues and wastes. The threat of increased global warming has subjected the use of fossil fuels to increasing scrutiny in terms of greenhouse gas and pollutant emissions. Renewable and... 

Fuel preparation and whether to premix the biomass and coal or introduce the two fuels separately into the boiler is another important issue that needs to be addressed for successful implementation of co-firing. Fuel handling of biomass in co-firing systems will need to be demonstrated with a variety of biomass feedstocks—such as switchgrass, willow, and energy cane—to take advantage of lower cost biomass residues and future energy crops. 

Generally, two types of biomass resources can be considered in the discussion on renewable energy feedstock (1) primary biomass, such as energy crops, including switchgrass, poplar, and willow, and (2) biomass residues (primary when derived from wood or processed agricultural biomass secondary when derived from food or fiber processing by-products, or animal waste and tertiary when derived from urban residues).21... 

The use of biomass (residues), when co-fired (e.g., with coal) and coupled to subsequent carbon sequestration, might be an important technical option for achieving zero emission and, potentially, a net reduction of atmospheric C02. 

During the replanting program, the oil palm trunks and fronds are chipped into small pieces and pulverized using a special pulverizer. The biomass residues are left in the field to allow for decomposition processing, which could then yield organic matter and release of plant nutrients. The placement of tmnk residues on field terraces could also reduce soil erosion. 

Grover, P. D. (1989). Thermochemical Characterization of Biomass Residues for Gasification, Vol. I. Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi. 

Kurkela, E., Moilanen, A. Nieminen, M. (1999). CFB gasification of biomass residues for co-combustion in large utility boilers - studies on ash control and gas cleaning. In SipilS, K. Korhonen, M. (eds.) Power production from biomass III. Espoo VTT. Pp. 213 - 288. (VTT Symposium 192). 

Table I Availability of Dry Biomass Residues from Sugar Cane Harvesting... 

Dare P, Gifford J., Hooper R.J., Clemens A.H., Datniano L.F., Gong D. and Matheson T.W, (2000) Combustion performance of biomass residue and purpose grown species. Submitted to Biomass and Bioenergy. 

Bagasse is a waste biomass from the sugarcane refining process. Bagasse residues represent the largest quantity industrial biomass waste available worldwide and therefore the most significant potential source of power produced from biomass. Figure 1 shows a comparison of the potential number of power plants by 2025 at 7 and 40 MW of electricity production for various biomass residues. ... 

Bioenergy is expected to become one of major energy resources for sustainable development of mankind. However, bioenergy supply potential cannot be infinite since land area available for biomass production is limited and a certain amount of biomass must be reserved for food and material. However, bioenergy can be produced not only from biocnergy plantations, which occupy land, but also from biomass residues (such as straw, animal dung, and wood scrap) which do not occupy land directly. These biomass residues are discliarged at various processes in biomass flow from harvest to consumption. 

The land use part covers a wide range of land uses and biomass flow including food chains, material recycling, and discharge of biomass residues (Figure 2 and Figure 3) [3)[5]. 

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