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Bangladesh has encountered several challenges, including issues like overpopulation, energy shortage, and global warming for the last few decades. Addressing the increasing energy demand has become a crucial concern because of rapid increase in population and lack of growth in the economic. The electricity production of a country heavily relies on fossil fuels, particularly natural gas, which makes up approximately 54% of the current installed capacity. Bangladesh is an agrarian nation and biomass stands out as a source of renewable energy having significant potential to mitigate the demand for heat and electricity. Biomass resources in the country mainly comprise animal dung, agricultural crop residuals, solid waste from municipalities and forest residues. The existing biomass resources contribute to producing a high amount of energy and content of around 1574.16 PJ of energy equivalent to 437.28 TWh of electricity in which agricultural residues, animal manure, municipal solid waste, and forest residues impart around 852.32 PJ, 399.04 PJ, 112.16 PJ, and 210.64 PJ of energy respectively. This paper explores the extent, possibilities, and technologies associated with biomass energy conversion. Additionally, the study delves into the several biomass projects that the government, as well as non-governmental groups, are working on for environmental sustainability along with plans, challenges, and methods that are being utilized to encourage biomass technologies across Bangladesh. [Display omitted] • The biomass potentiality in Bangladesh for heat and electricity generation is emphasized. • The energy scenario and necessity of alternative energy sources in Bangladesh are discussed. • The available energy conversion technologies from biomass in Bangladesh are presented. • The existing biomass resource content of around 1574.16 PJ (437.28 TWh of electricity) of energy. • The economic aspects and challenges of biomass conversion into energy are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, a novel lightweight cork with enhanced thermal stability has been prepared using a respiratory impregnation method. In this paper, the thermal stability and decomposition of two kinds of cork CS-P (Quercus suber) and CV-P (Quercus variabilis B1) and corks that infused silica aerogel in cells CSS-P (Quer cus suber) and CSV-P (Quercus variabilis B1) were systematically studied, and their decomposition mechanisms were proposed. The results showed that the decomposition was inhibited at 200 °C, and the pyrolysis was significantly inhibited at the main pyrolysis stage (400 °C). Interestingly, the evolved gaseous products and their evolution models have also changed. Specifically, CO 2 and aldehyde emissions were significantly reduced in the main pyrolysis stage, reducing environmental pollution. Silica aerogel filler plays a catalytic role in the pyrolysis process, thus increasing the output of some value-added products (such as aromatics), which is suitable as the appropriate raw material or source of olefins to produce aliphatic rich pyrolysis biofuels. In general, the yield of biochar and bio-oil can be adjusted under low environmental pollution by loading silica aerogel and adjusting pyrolysis temperature. Corks that infused silica aerogel in cells may be a promising raw material for the production of biochar and biofuel through pyrolysis and contribute to the environmental and economic sustainability of the cork production industry. [Display omitted] • The pyrolysis thermal behavior of cork cells filled with silica aerogel was explored. • The emission of CO 2 and aldehydes decreased significantly during the main pyrolysis stage. • Silica aerogel filler plays a role in catalyzing the yield of valuable by-products during pyrolysis. • This work provides a novel and effective method to convert and manage biological waste resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pine needles are a major cause of forest fires in the western region of the Himalayas in India. There is a need to explore avenues for utilizing this forest bio residue. Pine needles in the form of briquettes are an important source of renewable energy as it has low carbon emissions, low-cost technological interventions, easy accessibility and direct community benefits. The purpose of this paper is to list, classify and rank the enablers supporting energy generation using briquettes made from dried pine needles. This study ranks the enablers by using the fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process which is a multi-criteria decision-making approach. This paper finds that technological enablers are key to such interventions using dried and fallen pine needles for energy generation. The second category is environment-related enablers that directly impact the environment, followed by the market-related factors including good demand for the bio briquettes by the industry, viable fuel linkage, and a sense of business approach among the main actors. Economic enablers are next in importance, including factors such as employment generation, additional income, and self-sufficiency making such initiatives attractive enough to be adopted by people. Government and lastly, social and community-related enablers are next in priority for such projects. This is the first research that recognized, classified as well as ranked these enablers to pine needle-based energy generation in Uttarakhand in achieving United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals for 2030 such as climate action and affordable and clean energy. • To categorize and assess the major enabling factors supporting energy generation using Pine needles. • AHP with Fuzzy logic approach used for prioritization of barriers. • Managerial and practical implications for these enablers. • Technology related enablers are key to pine needle based energy generation. • Low maintenance of machinery has topmost global ranking as enabler. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Furfural and levulinic acid are valuable platform compounds that can be produced by acid catalyzed conversion of sugars. Modified MCM-41 with different contents of silicotungstic acid (20 wt%-50 wt%) was successfully prepared via a wet impregnation method in order to regulate the ratio of Brønsted acid to Lewis acid. Among these catalysts, 40 wt% HSiW/MCM-41 with superior acid site density (Brønsted acid 59.35 μmol/g, Lewis acid 33.69 μmol/g) showed excellent catalytic activity as it exposed the most acidic sites and the ratio of Brønsted acid to Lewis acid reached 1.76. The conversion of biomass-based sugar was as high as 99.01 %, the maximum yield of furfural could reach 56.75 %, and the yield of levulinic acid could reach 18.88 % catalyzed by 40 wt% HSiW/MCM-41. This study provided new insights into the development of efficient and sustainable catalytic systems for the production of biomass-derived compounds. [Display omitted] • The acidic sites in MCM-41 were regulated by loading silicotungstic acid. • The maximum yield of furfural and LA was reach 56.75 % and 18.88 % over 40 wt% HSiW/MCM-41. • The high catalytic activity of 40 wt% HSiW/MCM-41 was due to the highest ratio of Brønsted and Lewis acidic site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]