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Biomass Use on a Global Scale

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Renewable Energy Systems

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Definition of the Subject

Biomass is an extremely diverse resource that can be converted to multiple energy end uses (heat, electricity, transport fuels) through a range of mature and prospective technologies. Understanding the various options available to use biomass for energy, and their relative technical, economic, and environmental merits is important in understanding how biomass can be most effectively used. This understanding needs to be complemented by an understanding of the drivers (e.g., competing technologies, economic value, relative environmental benefits) for using biomass in different applications, and how these may change in the future. This chapter describes the different ways in which biomass can be used to produce heat, electricity, and transport fuels, covering a range of feedstock, conversion technologies, and intermediate products, and discusses the current and prospective use of biomass in different applications.

Introduction

Biomass can be broadly defined as...

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Abbreviations

Anaerobic digestion:

Decomposition of biological wastes by microorganisms, usually under wet conditions, in the absence of air (oxygen), to produce biogas.

Biodiesel:

Biodiesel refers to a diesel-type fuel produced by transesterification of vegetable oils or animal fats.

Bioenergy:

Energy produced from the conversion of organic matter.

Bioethanol:

Alcohol with a two carbon structure and the molecular formula C2H5OH.

Biofuel:

A liquid or gaseous transport fuel produced from biomass.

Biogas:

A combustible gas derived from decomposing biomass under anaerobic conditions. Biogas normally consists of 50–60% methane, 25–50% carbon dioxide, and other possible elements such as nitrogen, hydrogen, or oxygen.

Biomass:

Non-fossilized organic material of plant and animal origin.

Bio-SNG:

Bio Synthetic Natural Gas is a gas that meets the quality standard of natural gas derived from syngas produced from the gasification of biomass.

Butanol:

Alcohol with a four carbon structure and the molecular formula C4H9OH.

Combustion (of biomass):

The process of converting biomass fuel into heat, water, and carbon dioxide, though reaction with oxygen present in air.

Energy crops:

Crops grown specifically for energy. These include food crops such as corn and sugarcane, and nonfood crops such as poplar trees and switchgrass.

Fermentation:

Conversion of carbon-containing compounds by microorganisms for production of fuels and chemicals such as alcohols, acids, or energy-rich gases.

Fischer–Tropsch (FT) process:

Catalyzed chemical reaction in which syngas from gasification is converted into a liquid biofuel for gasoline, diesel, or kerosene displacement.

Gasification:

A thermochemical process at elevated temperature and reducing conditions to convert a solid fuel to a gaseous form (CO, H2, CH4, etc.), with char, water, and condensibles as minor products.

Hydrotreating:

Process which consists of the addition of pairs of hydrogen atoms to a molecule.

Lignocellulosic ethanol:

Ethanol produced from lignocellulosic material.

Organic Rankine cycle (ORC):

A Rankine cycle is a closed circuit steam cycle to convert heat into mechanical energy in an engine. An organic Rankine Cycle uses an organic fluid with a high molecular mass instead of steam, allowing heat recovery from low temperature sources.

Pyrolysis:

The thermal decomposition of biomass at moderate temperatures (greater than 400°F, or 200°C) in the absence of air.

Stirling engine:

Closed-cycle regenerative heat engine with a gaseous working fluid. The working fluid, the gas which pushes on the piston, is permanently contained within the engine’s system.

Syngas:

Syngas (from the contraction of synthesis gas) is a mixture of mainly carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen (H2), which is the product of high temperature steam or oxygen gasification of organic material such as biomass.

Torrefaction:

Mild pretreatment of biomass at a temperature between 200°C and 300°C, resulting in carbonization.

Transesterification:

Process of exchanging the alkoxy group of an ester compound with another alcohol.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Energy Policy and Technology, Imperial College, London, UK

    Ausilio Bauen & Raphael Slade

Authors
  1. Ausilio Bauen
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  2. Raphael Slade
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ausilio Bauen .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. German Biomass Research Centre, Leipzig, Germany

    Martin Kaltschmitt

  2. Institute of Environmental Technology and Energy Economics, Hamburg University of Technology, Hamburg, Germany

    Martin Kaltschmitt

  3. Earth Engineering Center, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA

    Nickolas J. Themelis

  4. Ormat Technologies, Inc., Reno, NV, USA

    Lucien Y. Bronicki

  5. Royal Institute of Technology, Electric Power Systems, Stockholm, Sweden

    Lennart Söder

  6. Hawaii Natural Energy Institute, School of Ocean And Earth Science And Technology, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI, USA

    Luis A. Vega

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Bauen, A., Slade, R. (2013). Biomass Use on a Global Scale . In: Kaltschmitt, M., Themelis, N.J., Bronicki, L.Y., Söder, L., Vega, L.A. (eds) Renewable Energy Systems. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-5820-3_243

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