Bioenergy
Background It may surprise advocates of solar and wind energy , but bioenergy accounts for 55 % of renewable energy and over 6 % of the world ’ s energy supply , or five times the combination of wind and solar PV ( 1 ) . This sector of the renewable energy industry has been growing rapidly and has received a further boost from rising energy prices following the Russian invasion of Ukraine , sanctions on its oil and gas exports and the Europeans ’ replacement of Russian piped gas with more expensive LNG from the USA . The IEA considers bioenergy to be an important part of the transition to net zero emissions . Demand is rising more quickly in Brazil , India and Indonesia than elsewhere . All have abundant feedstocks and are net energy importers . Not only these countries but also North American and European governments have programmes and directives in place to boost bioenergy production with the help of subsidies and incentives : for example , the USA ’ s Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program .
Biomass
It is usual to distinguish three generations of biomass ( the organic feedstock used to create biofuels ): 1 . Edible crops such as corn , sugarcane , palm oil or soybeans , which are used to make ethanol .
2 . Non-food biomass such as waste ( agricultural or domestic ), wood , switchgrass , etc . For example , several pilot projects are scaling up production of cellulosic ethanol , especially in the USA and Europe .
3 . Algae , which can be cultivated on nonarable land and have higher oil content , making them ideal for biodiesel and jet fuel . Algae production has recently gained renewed interest through efficiency gains , for instance closedloop systems that recycle water and nutrients . It is also gaining interest as a means of wastewater treatment through biosorption , bioaccumulation and intracellular degradation .
“ Weed ” to energy
Hemp has the potential to be a rich source of ethanol / methanol and biodiesel . Research is not yet far advanced , but initial tests of hemp fuel suggest they are less carbon-intensive and cheaper to produce , while burning them emits up to 80 % less greenhouse gases than traditional gasoline . The feedstock in question is industrial hemp ( Cannabis sativa L .), which is similar to but not identical with the psychoactive plant known as marijuana ( 2 ) .
Production cycle of algae with biogas upgrading and nutrient recovery using anaerobic digestion .
Biofuels
Some of the most common biofuels include :
1 . Ethanol . The most common biofuel , produced through the fermentation of sugar and starches and cellulose ( second generation ). It can be blended with gasoline . An important producer is Brazil , where ethanol is made from cellulosic biomass such as bagasse .
2 . SAF . Sustainable aviation fuels are a viable solution for aircraft , where electrification is a very limited option . It can be produced from waste oils , agricultural residues and CO2 captured from the atmosphere . United , Delta and Lufthansa are among the airlines committed to using SAF , and Shell and BP are building facilities to produce it .
3 . Biodiesel is produced from oils or fats using the chemical reaction transesterification . Along with LNG and hydrogen , it is a promising candidate fuel for HGVs and large ships . It can
Table . Major biofuel and district heating projects Date announced
31 / 8 / 2023
3 / 2024
22 / 5 / 2024
13 / 8 / 2024
Description be blended with traditional diesel . In 2002 , West Central ( later Renewable Energy Group ) opened one of the world ’ s biggest continuous-flow processing plants for processing soybean oil into biodiesel fuel .
4 . Biogas ( biomethane ) is a mixture of methane and CO2 . Its feedstock is normally waste or agricultural residues , and one of its most common uses is in waste to energy ( WtE ). Bacteria break down the feedstock in the absence of oxygen ( anaerobic digestion ) to produce biogas , which can be injected into the gas grid or used to generate heat and / or electricity ( combined heat and power ). A byproduct of the process , called digestate , is a good natural fertiliser .
5 . Syngas , or synthetic gas , consists of hydrogen and carbon monoxide , often with some CO2 and methane . It can replace gasoline and is also used to produce ammonia or methanol .
POET reopens its refurbished bioprocessing facility in Cloverdale , Indiana , USA .
Hitachi Energy wins contract to recover and repurpose excess heat from data centers to heat various premises belonging to Fortum , including homes , public facilities , and businesses .
Copenhagen Malmö Port ( CMP ) and Green2x partner to build one of the world ’ s largest biofuel plants in the port of Malmö , Sweden .
Verbio commences commercial production of corn-based ethanol at its biorefinery in Nevada , Iowa , USA
20 / 8 / 2024 Weltec refurbishes biogas WtE plant near Melbourne , Australia .
17 / 9 / 2024
9 / 2024
Woodland Biofuels plans to build a large , $ 1.35 billion biofuel plant in St John the Baptist Parish , USA .
Unconventional Gas Solutions announces commissioning of two of Novilla ’ s biogas upgrading plants in the US states of Michigan and Wisconsin . The innovative system uses a multi-stage , membrane-based treatment process that tolerates very high H2S concentrations of up to 30,000 ppm .
34 Valve World March 2025 www . valve-world . net