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As the tragedy in Ukraine deepens, it's clear that the world should end its dependency on Russian oil. It will be ironic, however, if nations disentangling themselves from this compromised energy source instead turn to another energy source with destructive impacts: harvesting and burning forest wood for fuel, which increases carbon emissions compared to fossil fuels, and degrades forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study analyzed the high heating values (HHVs) of various waste biomass materials intending to the effective management and more sustainable consumption of waste as clean energy source. Various biomass waste samples including date leaves, date branches, coconut leaves, grass, cooked macaroni, salad, fruit and vegetable peels, vegetable scraps, cooked food waste, paper waste, tea waste, and cardboard were characterized for proximate analysis. The results revealed that all the waste biomass were rich in organic matter (OM). The total OM for all waste biomass ranged from 79.39% to 98.17%. Likewise, the results showed that all the waste biomass resulted in lower ash content and high fixed carbon content associated with high fuel quality. Based on proximate analysis, various empirical equations (HHV=28.296-0.2887(A)-656.2/VM, HHV=18.297-0.4128(A)+35.8/FC and HHV=22.3418-0.1136(FC)-0.3983(A)) have been tested to predict HHVs. It was observed that the heterogeneous nature of various biomass waste considerably affects the HHVs and hence has different fuel characteristics. Similarly, the HHVs of waste biomass were also determined experimentally using the bomb calorimeter, and it was observed that among all the selected waste biomass, the highest HHVs (21.19 MJ kg−1) resulted in cooked food waste followed by cooked macaroni (20.25 MJ kg−1). The comparison revealed that experimental HHVs for the selected waste biomass were slightly deviated from the predicted HHVs. Based on HHVs, various thermochemical and biochemical technologies were critically overviewed to assess the suitability of waste biomass to energy products. It has been emphasized that valorizing waste-to-energy technologies provides the dual benefits of sustainable management and production of cleaner energy to reduce fossil fuels dependency. However, the key bottleneck in commercializing waste-to-energy systems requires proper waste collection, sorting, and continuous feedstock supply. Moreover, related stakeholders should be involved in designing and executing the decision-making process to facilitate the global recognition of waste biorefinery concept. [Display omitted] • The high heating values (HHVs) of biomass waste were assessed with the aim for the sustainable consumption of waste as a source of clean energy. • All the biomass waste were rich in organic matter and fixed carbon content that ranged from 79.39% to 98.17% and 50.64%–54.26% respectively. • The maximum HHVs (21.19 MJkg−1) were recorded for cooked food waste. • The heterogeneous nature of various biomass waste considerably affects the HHVs and hence serve as suitable feedstock for various energy conversion technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper presents the application of a comprehensive approach to the design of small scale sustainable distributed generation systems with special focus on energy recovery from paper production process sludge. The methodology integrates a detailed fluid-dynamic analysis tool with preliminary experimental analysis on a laboratory scale to guide the design of a prototype bubbling fluidized bed gasifier in the 85kW power range fitting with small and medium size paper production industries. Preliminary tests show stable operation even for this rather small power scale, and deviation from chemical equilibrium concentration in agreement with literature available data. Energy content in the sludge may be recovered along with a significant reduction of residual volume and mass. The concept may then be used to increase the overall sustainability of paper production. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Sustainable production of 1,4-pentanediol (1,4-PDO) from biomass is of great importance because 1,4-PDO is a monomer of degradable polyesters and plastics. This paper reviews the conversion of biomass-derived levulinic acid (LA) and furfural as well as their derivatives alkyl levulinate, γ-valerolactone (GVL) and furfuryl alcohol (FAL) into 1,4-PDO. MoOx or ReOx modified noble metal catalysts and non-noble metal catalysts with core–shell and alloy structures show a high 1,4-PDO yield and stability in LA hydrogenation under severe hydrothermal conditions. The conversion of furfural to 1,4-PDO involves the initial C＝O bond hydrogenation to form FAL, the consecutive acid-catalyzed ring-opening and the final hydrogenation. Therefore, it needs a bifunctional catalyst composed of metallic species and acid sites to improve the 1,4-PDO yield. Efforts are made here to highlight the employed catalysts, structure–performance relationship, reaction pathway and reaction mechanism in detail. The current challenges for large-scale applications of conversion of LA and furfural to 1,4-PDO have been proposed, including process development, catalyst cost, solvent and active site distribution. We believe that this review will provide new opportunities and expand the options for the production of 1,4-PDO via biorefining processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fly ash (FA) and exhausted bed sands (sands wastes) that are generated in biomass burners for energy production are two of the wastes generated in the pulp and paper industry. The worldwide production of FA biomass is estimated at 10 million tons/year and is expected to increase. In this context, the present work aims to develop one-part alkali-activated materials with biomass FA (0–100 wt.% of the binder) and sands wastes (100 wt.% of the aggregate). FA from two different boilers, CA and CT, was characterized and the mortar's properties, in the fresh and hardened conditions, were evaluated. Overall, the incorporation of FA decreases the compressive strength of the specimens. However, values higher than 30 MPa are reached with 50 wt.% of FA incorporation. For CA and CT, the compressive strength of mortars with 28 days of curing was 59.2 MPa (0 wt.%), 56.9 and 57.0 MPa (25 wt.%), 34.9 and 46.8 MPa (50 wt.%), 20.5 and 13.5 MPa (75 wt.%), and 9.2 and 0.2 MPa (100 wt.%), respectively. The other evaluated characteristics (density, water absorption, leached components and freeze–thaw resistance) showed no significant differences, except for the specimen with 100 wt.% of CA. Therefore, this work proved that one-part geopolymeric materials with up to 90 wt.% of pulp and paper industrial residues (FA and sand) can be produced, thus reducing the carbon footprint associated with the construction sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the challenge of meeting increasing energy needs by assessing the potential of bioenergy as a sustainable resource option in South Central Texas. Available agricultural crop residues suitable for bioenergy production are evaluated from the 21 counties in South Central Texas Regional Water Planning Area (Region L). The residues produced and available for bioenergy are quantified according to the production areas for each field crop and tree area. Residue-to-product ratios of field crops are determined according to crop type and production quantity. Biomass potential of trees is calculated based on tree density and biomass production per tree. The results demonstrate that the potential productions of utilizable agricultural wastes are in the range of 898.7 t kt–1421.39 kt for Region L. The average annual energy potential is estimated at 19.27 PJ, and ranges between 14.36 and 24.18 PJ. The average potential biomass-based electricity production could compensate significant amount of coal-based electricity generated in the Texas and when agricultural wastes are available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reliable heat and power supply are among the basic household needs nowadays. It is especially topical in rural or distant locations that may be cut off from the energy grid due to extreme weather or other events. Nonetheless, the sustainability of our power production systems has to be considered to sustain our planet's long-term abilities to provide energy resources and a viable environment. Renewable energy resources must be prioritized in rural and remote areas, simultaneously strengthening distributed production ability and self-sufficiency. In this context, the use of the Stirling engine for heat to power generation in households, on the scale of small communities, and by using only renewable resources is becoming increasingly topical. Therefore, this research aims to identify the current state-of-the-art for Stirling engine applications using biomass as a renewable energy source, in the context of sustainability and energy security. The paper summarizes the current research tendencies at the household level in the use of biomass-based Stirling engines for renewable heat and power generation in decentralized energy systems. The methodology applied is a structured literature review and content analysis. The research results corroborate the progress towards the use of renewable resources and towards increased energy efficiency because the keyword and overlay analysis showed more frequent publishing in these areas. The content analysis on two more specific sub-directions of interest, i.e., biomass-fuelled Stirling engine use in households and Stirling engine implications on energy security, showed that though research activity in these directions has increased lately, more profound research is needed, especially on aspects of energy security and independence. The content analysis revealed a lack of in-depth analysis on the effects of Stirling engine use on energy security or energy independence, which is suggested as a topical subject for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomass is abundantly present in diverse ecosystems, and is considered to be a highly valuable energy source worldwide due to its high diversity. Agricultural residues contribute substantially to the overall biomass potential. Although all agricultural residues can be used as fuel, their range is limited in practice by the possibilities of production, compaction, transport and use. The present paper presents a technology and the associated technical equipment developed and tested by INMA Bucharest for processing Miscanthus biomass that can be used for various energy purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomass is a renewable source of bioenergy, making it a promising solution for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Biomass is converted into bioenergy by the thermochemical and biological routes. Among all thermochemical conversion processes, pyrolysis is the most popular due to its ease of operation. Temperature, gas residence time, particle size, and heating rate are important operating parameters in pyrolysis. Bio-oil, biochar, and syngas are the main products from pyrolysis, and by giving suitable upgrading treatment, these products are converted into value-added products. The impact of pyrolysis on the environment is assessed using the life cycle assessment (LCA) tool. This review critically examines the reported literature for the goal and scope of the study, and boundaries are chosen, the process including pretreatment and product upgrading. Most researchers have recommended using biomass for bioenergy production instead of fossil fuel to reduce the impact. The most commonly used software is SimaPro, followed by GaBi, while the commonly chosen boundary is cradle-to-grave, and global warming potential is the most studied impact category. The life cycle impacts due to pyrolysis and pretreatment have been evaluated in this study. Impact variations due to alteration in energy (electricity) sources have also been gauged by undertaking different scenarios. The pyrolysis unit and bio-oil combustion unit are the main contributors (> 30%) of GHG emissions. The topics that were not covered in previous reviews, like environmental impact due to pretreatment and product upgrading, are deliberated in detail in this paper. The potential of biochar as a negative emission technology has also been discussed. Based on the reported work, the gaps are identified, and future research opportunities are presented. Highlights: 1. LCA of pretreatment using data from reference sources and analysis. 2. Impact due to product upgradation is deliberated in this review paper. 3. Scenario analysis for electricity source substitution. 4. New (novel) methods of pyrolysis. 5. Introduction to negative emission technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lignocellulosic biomass has emerged as a promising alternative with sustainable advantages for the production of a wide range of renewable products and value-added chemicals. In this study, a pretreatment strategy that use a fully recyclable acid hydrotrope (p -TsOH aqueous solution) to extract lignin and employ glyoxylic acid (GA) to stabilize lignin was proposed for biomass valorization toward multipurpose fractionation. 83.0 % of lignin was dissolved out by p -TsOH hydrotrope (80 wt%) with GA addition to form GA-stabilized product at 80 o C for 15 min. The stabilized lignin was subsequently used as an additive in the preparation of lignin-based suncream. Notably, the incorporation of 4 wt% lignin nanospheres into an SPF15 sunscreen yielded a measured SPF of 59.94. Furthermore, the depolymerization of uncondensed lignin into aromatic monomers yielded a high lignin-oil yield of 84.2 %. Additionally, direct heating of the pretreatment liquor facilitated the conversion of monosaccharides into furfural, achieving a desired yield of 53.7 % without the addition of any acid catalyst. The pretreatment also enhanced the enzymatic hydrolysis of glucan, resulting in a saccharification yield of 98.4 %. Moreover, short-term ultrasonication of the pretreated substrate yielded pulp suitable for papermaking. Incorporating 15 wt% fibers into the produced paper sheets led to a 5.3 % increase in tear index and a 25.4 % increase in tensile index. This study presents a viable pretreatment strategy for the multipurpose fractionation of lignocellulosic biomass, offering potential avenues for biomass valorization. [Display omitted] • A pretreatment strategy with p -TsOH for fractionation and GA for lignin stabilization was proposed. • The stabilized lignin-based suncream showed a high SPF 59.94. • Hydrogenation depolymerization of stabilized lignin resulted a bio-oil yield as high as 84.2 %. • The monosaccharides were converted into furfural with a desired yield of 53.71 % without adding any acid catalyst. • Short-term ultrasonication of pretreated substrate formed pulp that were used for papermaking to improve paper strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biochar generated from the pyrolysis of organic materials reduces GHG emissions and impacts the soil's many other physical, chemical, and biological properties. This paper aims to show a systematic review of online databases about the progress and trends of knowledge in biochar, an important topic that contributes to the updating, synthesis, and dissemination of knowledge and allows classifying the growing flow of information and identifying accredited aspects from 2011 to 2022. From 2011 to 2022, 253 scientific articles were collected and 119 were selected. Cooccurrence networks were worked on, and the information was represented through graphs to visualize the total number of connections between entities, grouping (subdomains), and locating synonyms, among others. One of the selection criteria was the type of publication and the synopsis of the study of the effect of biochar on soil, environmental importance, and use in the agricultural sector, as well as the methodological approaches of the research process and implementation feasibility. The results showed a notable increase in research on the subject in recent years, with reports of effectiveness, as a soil conditioner and remediator, GHG mitigation, and a trend for water and soil decontamination with positive progress of new research. However, it is necessary to monitor the effects of the application of biochar in the medium and long term to originate cleaner production processes in the agricultural sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Algae have gained substantial importance as the most promising potential green fuel source across the globe and is on growing demand due to their antioxidant, anticancer, antiviral, antihypertensive, cholesterol reducing and thickening properties. Therefore, it has vast range of application in medicines, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, paper and nutraceutical industries. In this work, the remarkable ability of algae to convert CO2 and other toxic compounds in atmosphere to potential biofuels, foods, feeds and high-value bioactive compounds is reviewed. Algae produce approximately 50% of the earth's oxygen using its photosynthetic activity, thus acting as a potent tool to mitigate the effects of air pollution. Further, the applicability of algae as a desirable energy source has also been discussed, as they have the potential to serve as an effective alternative to intermittent renewable energy; and also, to combustion-based fossil fuel energy, making them effective for advanced biofuel conversions. This work also evaluates the current applications of algae and the implications of it as a potential substrate for bioplastic, natural alternative to inks and for making paper besides high-value products. In addition, the scope for integrated biorefinery approach is also briefly explored in terms of economic aspects at the industrial scale, as such energy conversion mechanisms are directly linked with sustainability, thus providing a positive overall energy outlook. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The limited supply of fossil fuels, constant rise in the demand of energy and the importance of reducing greenhouse emissions has brought about the adoption of renewable energy sources for generation of electrical power. In this paper, the impact of renewable energy generation in Nigeria is explored. A review of renewable deposits in Nigeria with a focus on Solar, Biomass, Hydropower, Pumped Storage Hydro and Ocean energy is detailed. The impact of renewable energy-based generation is assessed from three different dimensions: Economic Impact, Social Impact and Environmental Impact. In accessing economic impact; the conditions are employment and job creation, gross domestic product (GDP) growth and increase in local research and development. To analyze the social impact; renewable energy education, renewable energy businesses, ministries and institutes, renewable energy projects and investments as well as specific solar and wind projects across Nigeria were considered. Also, environmental issues were discussed. Similarly, policy imperatives for renewable energy generation in Nigeria was provided. This paper would be useful in accessing the successes Nigeria has experienced so far in the area of sustainable development and the next steps to achieving universal energy for all in Nigeria in 2030. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gasification process is considered as one of the best routes of energy recovery from biomass by producing syngas mostly including H 2 , CO, and CH 4. Biomass as the main renewable energy resources has great advantages regarding its diversity, availability, and sustainability for supplying energy needs in heat, electricity production, biofuel production for transportation, etc. Various gasifiers based on the gasifying process and agents have been examined. This paper reviewed the theory of biomass gasification by comparing and analyzing different gasification models-designs and configurations, also different operational conditions. It aimed to bring a holistic approach for hydrogen rich syngas production based on the present technologies, techno-economic analysis, and industrial/commercialization pathways. The biomass gasification technologies need to be improved for hydrogen production regarding the global environmental and economic issues. The review provided better insights into the enhancement of syngas production from biomass. [Display omitted] • Biomass gasification for hydrogen rich syngas production was reviewed. • Various gasification models regarding the different designs and configurations were studied. • The impact of different operating conditions on biomass gasification was critically assessed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • High adsorption capacity for methylene blue from bamboo char-based activated carbon. • Achieved significant surface area and pore volume enhancements using KOH. • Torrefaction process leads to the enhancement of the bamboo biomass characteristics. • Kinetic and thermodynamic studies confirm the adsorption process is endothermic and spontaneous. • Utilizes bamboo to address water pollution challenges, contributing to environmental sustainability effectively. This research paper aimed to evaluate the potential of activated carbon (AC) made from non-torrefied and torrefied bamboo biochar samples for the purpose of adsorbing methylene blue solution. The process involved impregnating bamboo biochar with a 5 M potassium hydroxide (KOH) solution at a 1:4 ratio of biochar to KOH, followed by carbonization at 800 °C, 900 °C, and 1000 °C to produce activated carbon samples. The samples were then characterized using techniques such as XRD, FESEM-EDX, FTIR, FE-TEM, and BET analysis to study their respective phase, surface morphology, elemental composition, functional groups, and structural and surface properties. The results showed that the torrefied bamboo AC exhibited a specific surface area of 366 m2/g and a total pore volume of 0.24 m3/g. Kinetic analyses showed adsorption following a pseudo-second-order model, with a capacity of 83.3 mg/g according to the Langmuir model and a favorability constant of 0.52 from the Freundlich model. Thermodynamic studies revealed the process to be spontaneous and endothermic, with changes in enthalpy and entropy of 77,810.73 kJ/mol and 269.9 kJ/mol·K, respectively. These findings highlight the effectiveness of bamboo-derived AC as a sustainable adsorbent for MB dye removal, offering a promising solution for water pollution control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomass is a promising resource in Malaysia for energy, fuels, and high value-added products. However, regards to biomass value chains, the numerous restrictions and challenges related to the economic and environmental features must be considered. The major concerns regarding the enlargement of biomass plantation is that it requires large amounts of land and environmental resources such as water and soil that arises the danger of creating severe damages to the ecosystem (e.g. deforestation, water pollution, soil depletion etc.). Regarded concerns can be diminished when all aspects associated with palm biomass conversion and utilization linked with environment, food, energy and water (EFEW) nexus to meet the standard requirement and to consider the potential impact on the nexus as a whole. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the detail interactions between all the components in the nexus once intended to look for the best solution to exploit the great potential of biomass. This paper offers an overview regarding the present potential biomass availability for energy production, technology readiness, feasibility study on the techno-economic analyses of the biomass utilization and the impact of this nexus on value chains. The agro-biomass resources potential and land suitability for different crops has been overviewed using satellite imageries and the outcomes of the nexus interactions should be incorporated in developmental policies on biomass. The paper finally discussed an insight of digitization of the agriculture industry as future strategy to modernize agriculture in Malaysia. Hence, this paper provides holistic overview of biomass competitiveness for sustainable bio-economy in Malaysia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The scientific progress in artificial intelligence and robotics has enabled precision viticulture to pursue sustainability and improve the final yield. For instance, monitoring the canopy volume of each plant can allow the correct ripening of the bunches. In this context, this paper proposes a novel approach for the characterization of biomass volume using images acquired in a vineyard with the low-cost Azure Kinect RGB-D camera. Semantic image segmentation is implemented using three encoder–decoder deep architectures (U-Net, DeepLabV3+, and MANet) to produce accurate masks of the vine leaf structure. In a transfer learning approach, a public dataset acquired with the Intel RealSense D435 depth camera is used to train the segmentation networks. Then, a complete pipeline to estimate possible changes in biomass volume is presented. Experiments are run to analyze the biomass removed during the trimming process of grapevine plants. The best segmentation result is obtained by the U-Net architecture with ResNet50 backbone, showing an accuracy of 92.10%, although the training and test sets consist of images acquired by different cameras. However, the DeepLabV3+ network with ResNeXt50 backbone, which scores an accuracy of 90.25% on the test set, gives the best estimate of the removed biomass, requiring the shortest time for training. These outcomes prove the potential capability of this automatic approach for controlling leaf growth and ensuring sustainable viticulture practices. • Low-cost RGB-D cameras for Biomass characterization before and after the trimming process. • Deep learning-based semantic segmentation networks designed for high generalization. • Combination of multimodal data (color and depth) to extract only significant features. • Registration of point clouds to allow the exact characterization of the removed biomass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brazil is the world's leading charcoal producer, mainly used as an energy source and reducing agent for iron ore in the pig iron and steel industry. Despite its vast production, much of the Brazilian charcoal production remains low-tech and inefficient, with limited utilization of by-products. To address potential environmental impacts, promote a circular economy, and reduce energy waste in the charcoal production chain, this study presents the benefits of using wood carbonization by-products through a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). The analysis was performed by comparing four scenarios: i) Current wood carbonization; ii) Wood carbonization with combustion of non-condensable gases; iii) Wood carbonization with energy recovering of non-condensable gases for electricity generation; and iv) Assessing the utilization of insoluble tar and biomass waste for generating additional electricity, and the use of Pyroligneous Extract (PE) in eucalyptus cultivation. The results demonstrate that by-product utilization prevents energy waste, with an estimated potential to generate 0.19–0.26 MWh per ton of charcoal in Scenarios 3 and 4. Furthermore, 3.3 t of CO2 eq./t of charcoal are sequestered from the atmosphere, and Scenarios 2, 3, and 4 can increase this amount by 5.06%, 6.7%, and 0.48%, respectively. This paper introduces an innovative assessment of PE utilization during eucalyptus cultivation, resulting in a 6.16% reduction in greenhouse gas emission and a 46.98% decrease in abiotic resource consumption, attributed to PE's potential to partially reduce pesticide consumption. [Display omitted] • Photochemical Oxidation is the main impact category due to CO emissions in carbonization kilns. • Potential to generate 0.19–0.26 MWh of electricity per ton of charcoal through by-products utilization. • Forest residues and insoluble tar increase electricity generation potential by 36%. • Charcoal by-products offset GHG emissions from 14 to 203 kg/ton of charcoal. • Pyroligneous Extract use leads to 6% lower GHG emissions and 47% decrease in abiotic resource consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports a simple way to produce porous graphitic carbons from a wide range of lignocellulosic biomass sources, including nut shells, softwood sawdust, seed husks and bamboo. Biomass precursors are milled and sieved to produce fine powders and are then converted to porous graphitic carbons by iron-catalysed graphitization. Graphitizing the raw (unmilled) biomass creates carbons that are diverse in their porosity and adsorption properties. This is due to the inability of the iron catalyst precursor to penetrate the structure of dense biomass material. Milling enables much more efficient impregnation of the biomass and produces carbons with homogeneous properties. Lignocellulosic biomass (particularly waste biomass) is an attractive precursor to technologically important porous graphitic carbons as it is abundant and renewable. This simple method for preparing the biomass enables a wide range of biomass sources to be used to produce carbons with homogeneous properties. This article is part of the theme issue 'Bio-derived and bioinspired sustainable advanced materials for emerging technologies (part 2)'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Commission presented the 2018 Bioeconomy strategy, which developed an action plan for a resource-efficient, competitive and sustainable economy. The bioeconomy sectors are also linked to the European Green Deal, Stepping up Europe's 2030 climate ambition Communication, Farm to Folk Strategy and other innovation strategies. In the transition to a low carbon world, biomass plays a crucial role as an alternative to fossil resources. In the EU, agriculture is the main source of biomass with 68% of the total supply. The paper analyses European Union agricultural biomass potential, supply and use. Agricultural biomass is part of the core bioeconomy sectors and its demand is increasing. However, the potential of biomass and its alternative uses are a major concern. Biomass is a renewable but limited resource and, on that basis, it is important to outline the balance and to pay attention to the relationship between the nutritional and industrial needs of biomass in terms of food and energy security. The policy framework in this regard has to be complex and well-targeted. The biomass use could lead to a number of benefits associated with resolving global issues. On the other hand, if sustainability is not taken into account, the opportunities for inclusive growth and development will not be achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In this paper we identify a concept of countries' biomass-related sustainability through a revision of the literature and the opinion of professionals, and identify the main reasons that prevent biomass from being a major source of energy production (adversities and constraints). The Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) methodology was used for establishing the causal and hierarchical relationships among the variables linked with the adversities and constraints associated with the production of biofuel from biomass and their impact on countries' biomass-related sustainability. At the base of the concept of biomass related countries' sustainability we identify an important constraint associated with the high energy production costs, but also the necessity of supporting new investments, which will drive technological innovations in this sector and allow for an increase in efficiency. The paper presents an innovative approach to the research of biofuel production from biomass by suggesting not only a concept of countries' biomass-related sustainability but also by exploring causal and hierarchical relationships between adversities/constraints of biofuel production and impact on countries' sustainability. Highlights • We develop a new concept of biomass-based sustainability of countries. • We implement an interpretive structural modeling approach. • We identify government policies and market costs as essential to innovation. • Economic may imply Social Sustainability. • There are interdependencies between Economic and Environmental Sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urbanization has driven the demand for fossil fuels, however, the overly exploited resource has caused severe damage on environmental pollution. Biorefining using abundant lignocellulosic biomass is an emerging strategy to replace traditional fossil fuels. Value-added lignin biomass reduces the waste pollution in the environment and provides a green path of conversion to obtain renewable resources. The technology is designed to produce biofuels, biomaterials and value-added products from lignocellulosic biomass. In the biorefinery process, the pretreatment step is required to reduce the recalcitrant structure of lignocellulose biomass and improve the enzymatic digestion. There is still a gap in the full and deep understanding of the biorefinery process including the pretreatment process, thus it is necessary to provide optimized and adapted biorefinery solutions to cope with the conversion process in different biorefineries to further provide efficiency in industrial applications. Current research progress on value-added applications of lignocellulosic biomass still stagnates at the biofuel phase, and there is a lack of comprehensive discussion of emerging potential applications. This review article explores the advantages, disadvantages and properties of pretreatment methods including physical, chemical, physico-chemical and biological pretreatment methods. Value-added bioproducts produced from lignocellulosic biomass were comprehensively evaluated in terms of encompassing biochemical products , cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, potent functional materials from cellulose and lignin, waste management alternatives, multifunctional carbon materials and eco-friendly products. This review article critically identifies research-related to sustainability of lignocellulosic biomass to promote the development of green chemistry and to facilitate the refinement of high-value, environmentally-friendly materials. In addition, to align commercialized practice of lignocellulosic biomass application towards the 21st century, this paper provides a comprehensive analysis of lignocellulosic biomass biorefining and the utilization of biorefinery green technologies is further analyzed as being considered sustainable, including having potential benefits in terms of environmental, economic and social impacts. This facilitates sustainability options for biorefinery processes by providing policy makers with intuitive evaluation and guidance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wood has multi-scale, multi-level and abundant pore structure. This hierarchical porous structure creates natural conditions for the development of new water treatment materials and equipment. With the development of nanotechnology and other advanced technologies, top-down or bottom-up assembly of wood is performed. Functional wood materials are obtained, breaking the limitations of wood in practical applications and promising to replace traditional petroleum-based and other materials. This paper reviews the research results related to wood biomass composites from the perspective of process-structure-property-application and provides a systematic description of the new applications of wood in water treatment, such as bacterial filtration, dye pollutants removal, heavy metal removal, oil removal and seawater desalination. The performance of wood biomass materials is also compared with other traditional and emerging materials. The structural design and performance optimization of wood biomass composites are summarized. Finally, the development of wood science is discussed. It is concluded that although wood has made major breakthroughs in applications, more in-depth basic research is needed. The future potential and challenges faced by woody biomass composites in engineering production are foreseen. [Display omitted] ● The preparation method of woody biomass composites is introduced. ● Wood with porous and layered structure is an excellent carrier. ● Addition of nanoparticles can improve the catalytic performance of wood materials. ● Woody biomass materials have great potential in the field of water treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The steel industry is one of the largest industrial carbon dioxide emitters, accounting for up to 7% of global emissions. Increasingly stringent global carbon emission regulations are prompting the steel and coal industries to explore and implement carbon abatement strategies through both the incremental development of current technologies and the incorporation of new, innovative ones. This paper reviews the current status and future development of sustainable cokemaking, aiming to identify suitable carbonaceous materials for partial coal displacement in metallurgical coking blends and the desirable properties of coals which facilitate such displacements. Results from works pertaining to the influence of renewable and waste additions on the thermoplastic properties of coal blends and the quality of resulting cokes are included. This includes the mechanism of interaction between various additives and metallurgical coal and the influence on the coking behavior, microstructural and microtextural transformation, and ash chemistry during cokemaking. The sustainability of incorporating certain carbonaceous additives in blends on a commercial scale has also been evaluated. Efforts were made to draw correlations from literature data regarding the impact of coal property parameters on the carrying capacity of coal in blends with renewable biomass feedstocks and other waste additives. The review has identified the knowledge gaps and future research needs in sustainable cokemaking. • Influences of renewable additives for cokemaking are reviewed. • Promising carbonaceous materials for partial coal displacement in coking blends were analysed. • The significance of coal properties on coal carrying capacity was explored. • The knowledge gaps and future research needs in sustainable cokemaking were identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimal network design is a key factor in the enhancement of the economic, environmental, and social performance and efficiency of the biomass supply chain (BSC), and this is why it has become quite popular with the academia and practitioners. The great number of the related papers published in the scientific journals in recent years is the proof of the claim; therefore, to make a framework of the past works and specify the future directions, a comprehensive review of the state-of-the-art papers deems necessary. The objective of this paper is to review the papers regarding the biomass supply chain network design (BSCND) models published in the scientific journals. A total number of 146 papers, published from Jan. 1997 to Jul. 2016 are reviewed, analyzed and classified based on their modeling approaches, decisions, uncertainties, solution methodologies, sustainability, model features, entities, data, and regions of the case studies. To determine the research opportunities and future directions, the gaps existing in the present literature have been clearly explained as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an improved mathematical model is proposed to solve the multi-echelon biomass supply chain synthesis problem, including processing hubs selection, biomass allocation design and transportation mode selection, with the consideration of vehicle capacity constraint (weight and volume). On top of that, carbon emission penalty is introduced in the model in order to evaluate the environmental impact in the supply chain. The entire problem is modelled through mixed integer non-linear programming with the aim of maximising the overall profit, at the same time ensuring the minimal CO 2 emission. A comparative study between the model developed in the previous work (vehicle capacity constraint and environmental performance are not considered) and the current improved model is carried out to compare the reliability of the outcomes. Both models are illustrated by using a same case study in Johor, Malaysia. In order to fill the gap of lacking user-friendly decision-making tool for the transportation design in supply chain management, a novel graphical decision-making tool, called smart vehicle selection diagram is proposed in this paper. The diagrams are constructed based on the optimised results obtained from the formulated model. The user manual for the proposed decision-making tool is given in this paper. Besides, five sets of sensitivity analysis are conducted to identify the sensitivity of the assumed realistic factors (i.e. terrain profile, weather changes, traffic congestion, fuel price fluctuation and individual environmental preference) to the optimal results obtained from the proposed tools. This paper shows the potential of the proposed tools in providing rigid optimal solution for the proposed research problem. Finally, several potential future works is suggested in this paper to fill up some of the remaining research gaps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biobased products are complete or partial derivatives from naturally occurring/growing materials such as agricultural, plants, and forest materials and serve as an alternative to traditional product derivatives of petroleum. Technically, biobased product counterparts can replace almost every fossil resource-based industrial material. Adopting life cycle analysis and circular economy concepts has also accelerated the move towards biobased products. It meets the criteria for easy recycling and can facilitate the shift from linear fossil-based productions to a greener circular economy. In line with the Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews (RSER) policy, this Virtual Special Issue (VSI) published two types of articles, high-quality review papers and original research papers with a strong review component. After a rigorous peer-review process, 32 articles were accepted and published in this VSI. This editorial overview these articles and examines their contribution to the field. This RSER VSI has contributed with new insights on value-added biobased products from various bioresources to their applications, technical challenges and advancement in a sustainable manner. • VSI is focused on the recent development of biobased biorefineries. • Greener technologies offering biobased products. • Sustainable bioprocesses and bioproducts development from bioresources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) from the city of Boa Esperança, Minas Gerais, Brazil, was used to produce refuse-derived fuel (RDF). The MSW contains residues from human society, including product packaging, bottles, batteries, organic waste, fines, textiles, health textiles, plastics, glass, and metals, among others. The following protocol was performed during the conversion of MSW to RDF: (i) the raw MSW was placed in a silo and sent to a primary crusher using a metal conveyor belt, which reduced the particle size to 80 mm; (ii) the biomass was transferred to a selective waste collection platform by a rubber conveyor belt, and the recyclable waste, metals, and glasses were separated manually; (iii) residual metals were removed by a magnetic separator; (iv) the waste was transferred to a secondary crusher which reduced the particle size to 60 mm; (v) the waste passed through an airborne separator to remove materials with high density, such as glass, stones, and organic materials, using a metallic conveyor belt; (vi) the particle size was reduced to 40 mm by a tertiary crusher; (vii) the aluminium was separated from the non-metallic materials (plastic, paper, rubber, etc.) using an eddy current separator; (viii) the particle size was reduced to 25 mm using a quaternary crusher; (ix) the MSW was introduced into a rotary dryer using a metal conveyor belt, where the moisture content was reduced to close to 15 wt%, which required thermal energy equivalent to 186 kWh; (x) the RDF was used in a thermochemical reactor and 4148 kWh of thermal energy was produced. In addition, the MSW and RDF were analysed, and the elemental composition and combustion characteristics were determined. Based on these results, the protocol evaluated was found to be effective in the conversion of MSW to RDF, which can be used as a source of renewable fuel. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • Development of a solid waste processing line at an industrial scale. • 55 ton day−1 of MSW with up to 50 wt% moisture was processed. • MSW was efficiently converted to RDF. • RDF production was 30 ton day−1 with an average moisture content of 17 ± 8 wt%. • RDF with an average LHV of 14.6 ± 1.3 MJ kg−1 was produced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract It is estimated that 12–15% of total global industrial energy is consumed by the Cement Manufacturing Industry (CMI). To improve environmental sustainability, biomass has been used as an alternative to fossil fuels. There is a comprehensive literature on biomass production and conversion, but little attention has been paid to biomass logistics in the cement industry. We propose the use of cement distribution trucks to collect biomass on their return journeys. Compared with the use of specialist biomass suppliers, the collection of biomass via cement distribution networks has greater uncertainties in delivery times, volume and quality. This is because biomass collection is a secondary activity and is subject to cement order quantities and the random geographical locations of cement customers. To cope with these uncertainties, additional on-site storage and handling equipment is required. This paper proposes a stochastic programming model to measure the cost-effectiveness of collecting biomass using returning cement distribution trucks in comparison with purchasing biomass from specialised biomass suppliers. A numerical experiment based on a real-word dataset was conducted to verify the effectiveness of the developed model. Highlights • Using biomass to replace coal in cement industry is economically viable. • Collect biomass via cement reverse logistics network is cost effective. • Stochastic optimisation model is useful to evaluate biomass outsourcing. • Biomass availability affects biomass outsourcing plan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract As the demand for energy continuously increases, alternatives to fossil resources must be found to both prevent fossil source depletion and decrease overall environmental impact. One solution is increasing contributions from renewable, biological feedstock, and from wastes. This paper presents an analysis of the current methods of biomass conversion, to extract biofuels and biologically produced gases to then be used in fuel cells. Pathways for converting biomass feedstock into fuel cell fuels selected here were anaerobic digestion, metabolic processing, fermentation, gasification, and supercritical water gasification, which were compared to natural gas and fossil hydrogen reference cases. These thermochemical and biological conversion pathways can also make use of residues from agriculture, forestry, or some household and industry wastes, producing hydrogen and hydrogen-rich gases. Solid oxide fuel cells were also found to be the preferred technology for such bio-derived fuel gases, due to their wide range of fuel options, wide scalability from single kW to multi 100 kW, and high efficiency. Highlights • Detailed and comprehensive review of biomass derived fuels for fuel cells. • Presentation of an extensive three-tiered biomass to fuel pathway flow chart. • Methodological comparisons of various biomass pathways with chemical balances. • Analysis of fuel gas production and upgrading efficiencies, with biomass feedstocks. • Identification and review of fuels suitable for use in SOFCs and PEFCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oman, like other Arabian Gulf countries, depends on oil and gas to produce electricity. However, these resources are not guaranteed to last forever and constitute one of the energy security issues in the country. This paper explores the potential of using biomass energy resources for electricity generation in Oman. Energy from biomass resources is counted as a type of renewable energy, which means that its availability is not affected by the lack of sources and the increasing price of fossil oil. The review of biomass energy shows that waste from different sources such as wood and woody plants and their wastes, agricultural crops and residues, municipal solid organic wastes, animal wastes, sewage, waste from organic industrial processing and food processing, and aquatic plants and algae can be used for electricity generation. Biomass from animal manure and waste water are reported as having potential for electricity generation. The results show that a total of 2651·81 GWh/year electricity can be produced from animal manure and waste water, which corresponds to 10% of the total electricity consumption in Oman. Although there is potential to use biomass for sustainable electricity generation, several environmental, social and technological factors associated with biomass energy need to be considered before adopting such resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rising demand for feed and food has put an increasing pressure on agriculture, with agricultural intensification as a direct response. Notwithstanding the higher crop productivity, intensive agriculture management entails many adverse environmental impacts. Worldwide, soil organic carbon (SOC) decline is hereby considered as a main danger which affects soil fertility and productivity. The life cycle perspective helps to get a holistic overview when evaluating the environmental sustainability of agricultural systems, though the impact of farm management on soil quality aspects is often not integrated. In this paper, we introduce an indicator called Agricultural Biomass Productivity Benefit of SOC management (ABB_SOC), which, relying on natural resource consumption, enables to estimate the net effect of the efforts made to attain a better soil quality. Hereby the focus is put on SOC. First, we introduce a framework to describe the SOC trend due to farm management decisions. The extent to which remediation measures are required are used as a measure for the induced SOC losses. Next, ABB_SOC values are calculated as the balance between the natural resource consumption of the inputs (including remediation efforts) and the desired output of arable crop production systems. The models RothC and EU-Rotate_N are used to simulate the SOC evolution due to farm management and the response of the biomass productivity, respectively. The developed indicator is applied on several rotation systems in Flanders, comparing different remediation strategies. The indicator could be used as a base for a method to account for soil quality in life cycle analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Stabilization of feedstock supply in biomass supply chains considered. • Stochastic programming model for biomass supplier selection and operation planning. • An enhanced and regularized decomposition algorithm proposed to solve the model. • Performance of the algorithm evaluated by numerical experiments. • Sensitivity analysis conducted to evaluate the impacts of key parameters. Abstract Bioenergy is considered a potential solution to reduce carbon footprint and fight against global warming. However, uncertainty in the harvest of biomass could lead to the instability of feedstock supply that has a significant impact on the sustainability of biomass supply chain. In this paper, we present a two-stage stochastic programming model dealing with supplier selection to stabilize feedstock supply of a biomass supply chain in uncertain environments. The model involves the first stage decisions for the supplier selection and the second-stage decisions for planning transportation, inventory and production operations. To reduce the computational burden for large instances, we propose an enhanced and regularized L-shaped decomposition algorithm to solve the model. The applicability of this model and the performance of the solution method are evaluated by numerical studies. Sensitivity analysis shows that the values of some parameters related to suppliers have significant impacts on the optimal expected cost and supplier selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microalgae biofuel is one of the most promising renewable energy sources that can contribute to the replacement of fossil fuels globally because of its sustainability and its ability to reduce the carbon dioxide emission in the atmosphere. However, the rigidity of microalgae of microalgae cell wall inhibits the extraction of lipids for biofuel production. To improve microalgae biofuel production, different pre-treatment techniques have been studied to evaluate their effectiveness on microalgae cell wall disruption. The main objective of this paper is to review the different pre-treatment technologies used in biofuel production from microalgae biomass and to critically discuss the current limitations and promising perspectives towards achieving economic and industrial scale production. Pre-treatment methods reviewed are categorized into mechanical techniques (e.g. high-pressure homogenizer and bead mills), physical techniques (e.g. ultrasonic and microwave methods), thermal pre-treatment techniques (e.g. autoclave and steam explosion), chemical techniques (e.g. catalytic and enzymatic), and combined techniques. Furthermore, comparisons of these techniques are discussed. The overall effect of the applications and methods on biofuel production together with energy consumption are critically examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen could be used as a ‘cleaner’ cooking fuel, particularly in communities that rely on biomass and fossil fuels, to reduce local pollution and related health effects. However, hydrogen must be produced using sustainable feedstocks and energy sources to ensure that local impacts are not reduced at the expense of other impacts generated elsewhere in the life cycle. To this end, this paper evaluates life cycle environmental impacts of renewable hydrogen produced in a proton-exchange membrane electrolyser using solar energy. The aim of the study is to find out if hydrogen produced in this system and used as a cooking fuel is environmentally sustainable in comparison with conventional cooking fuels typically used in developing countries, such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), charcoal and firewood. The results suggest that hydrogen would reduce the climate change impact by 2.5–14 times to 0.04 kg CO 2 eq./MJ compared to firewood (0.10 kg CO 2 eq./MJ) and LPG (0.57 kg CO 2 eq./MJ). Some other impacts would also be lower by 6%–35 times, including depletion of fossil fuels, summer smog and health effects from emissions of particulates, both locally and across the rest of the life cycle. However, some other impacts would increase by 6%–6.7 times, such as depletion of metals and freshwater and marine ecotoxicity. These are mainly due to the solar photovoltaic panels used to generate power for the electrolyser. In terms of the local impacts, the study suggests that hydrogen would reduce local pollution and related health impacts by 8%–35 times. However, LPG is still environmentally a better option than hydrogen for most of the impacts, both at the point of use and on a life cycle basis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building on an extensive literature review that included peer-reviewed publications, grey literature, national statistics, official reports, and regulations enacted by the Colombian government, this paper identifies opportunities, challenges, and constraints faced by solid biofuels production from energy crops in Colombia. Our findings suggest that the solid biofuels industry currently lacks policy regulations and an adequate research framework. The paper notes the industry's market potential and addresses its dependency on a legal framework, political willingness, and technological developments. The legal framework includes land ownership formalization, job regulations, and the definition of environmental and administrative permits. Political willingness relates to governmental policies and financial incentives based on environmental and sustainability criteria, which can make the sector competitive compared to other energy sources at the local and international market scales. The technological aspects include public and private support for research and development programs and a strategic analysis of industry-specific requirements for infrastructure, conversion, and transportation within a life cycle assessment framework. The preliminary land-use analysis suggests the potential availability of land for solid biofuels production in the Caribbean, Andean, Inter-Andean Valley, and Orinoco regions. Furthermore, the results show that solid biofuels production can potentially supply internal demand and play a role in international markets with strategic development and government support. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the main goals for sustainable development of a country is providing sustainable energy resources, which means satisfying the current needs for energy without compromising the future generations. Moreover, sustainable energy resources primarily involve greater inclusion of renewable energy sources. The biomass is the most widely used renewable energy source, mainly because of its relatively low price and its availability. However, in order for the biomass to stay a renewable energy source, it must be used rationally and with a plan, which primarily requires a detailed analysis of the current situation and resources. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to calculate the optimal utilization of biomass in energy purposes, taking into account the sustainable development of a country. As an example, in this paper Macedonia is considered. A detailed analysis of the data sources related to biomass is made and several different indicators that describe the current situation in Macedonia are presented. Furthermore, several scenarios are defined in this paper in order to calculate the optimal share of biomass in the overall energy mix in Macedonia for the next 20 years, using the MARKAL model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Bimetallic catalyst of W-Ni on porous support yields high EG, up to 89% • Repeated use of catalyst causes metal leaching, oxidation, sintering and deposit. • The highest reusability of 34 runs was recorded for Ru/AC + H 2 WO 4 catalysts. • Impacts of impurities in biomass (i.e. lignin, sulfur, Al, Mg and Fe) are analyzed. • Pressure swing and extractive distillations reduce energy demand. Ethylene glycol (EG) is one of the most sought-after industrial compounds. High global demand necessitates for a production of up to 28 million metric tons EG a year. Reaction pathway for fossil fuel derived EG may be relatively simpler, but it remains a finite resource and is notorious for greenhouse gas emission. The increasing awareness for sustainable development and security of raw material has prompted researchers to explore novel ideas for production of EG from renewable feedstock. The abundance of lignocellulosic raw material naturally positions it as a desirable substitute to its petrochemical counterpart. This paper reviews recent progress in valorization of biomass via catalytic conversion through a broader lens, encompassing the vital aspects for commercialization of process technology. An in-depth analysis of three critical inter-related subjects for sustainable EG production, namely the catalytic system performance, effects of impurities in biomass and catalyst reusability in the harsh hydrothermal reaction is presented. Probing further into post-reaction process, purification strategies of close boiling points polyol mixture product through this bio-route are assessed. Finally, the challenges and prospects of scaling-up the technology are appraised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the long-run relationship between biomass energy production and biomass energy consumption in the United States (US), over 1993M01-2022M08. For robustness reasons, it is employed the cointegration methodology to sustain the main findings in parallel with unit root tests of biomass energy surplus/deficit. The main results evidence a long-run equilibrium between biomass energy production and biomass energy consumption in the US conditioned by structural breaks. More precisely, those breaks can severally alter biomass energy sustainability, their importance being crucial in the US's policy design in the biomass sector. Policymakers in the US should take into account the structural changes for their adjustments in the biomass energy market when no long-run equilibrium between biomass energy production and the biomass energy consumption is evidenced. Otherwise, no policy corrections are needed as the long-run equilibrium is reached based on the market self-regulation mechanism. • Biomass energy is sustainable in the US. • Biomass energy sustainability is conditioned by structural changes. • No hysteresis is observed in biomass energy surplus/deficit. • Market of biomass energy has a self-regulation mechanism under sustainability assumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The wide-spread dependence of transportation sector on the ever-depleting and greenhouse gas emitting fossil fuels when burnt has raised considerable energy security and environmental concerns. Consequently, countries around the world have positioned biofuels as a center stage alternative to fossil fuels in their national policies to provide energy security and carbon emission control. In this regard, the paper conducts a feasibility assessment of setting-up large-scale supply chain of bioethanol (i.e., a biofuel variant) based on the regional availability of agricultural residues. Critical resources and capabilities requirements and governance attributes for bioethanol supply chains are explored using the resource-based view and institutional theory lenses. An agricultural residues (as biomass inputs) based bioethanol supply chain (BESC) model is proposed to incorporate the economic and environmental optimality considerations for an agro-climatic region. A case study of the Punjab State in India is used as an application of the proposed BESC model. Findings suggest that sustainable BESC configurations can be achieved differently for different agricultural residues. Comparative analyses, trade-off scenarios, and sustainability assessments of various agricultural residues-based BESC configurations are conducted. The policy implications of the priority areas are discussed within the bounds of India's biofuel policy. • Designed biomass-based bioethanol supply chains from a policy perspective. • Resource-based view and institutional theory are applied. • Developed large-scale supply chain model for energy security and carbon-neutrality. • Performed comparative, trade-off, and sustainability analyses for biomass types. • Priority areas for creating a nationwide bioethanol economy are identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to various environmental problems and social impacts caused by biomass supply chains activities such as climate change, increasing energy demand, energy security, and food crisis, on the one hand, and economic issues such as high costs of biomass supply chains logistics activities, and inefficient production of bioenergy products from low-energy density biomass, on the other hand, modeling and optimization of sustainable biomass supply chains have transitioned to a growing area of research in a recent decade. In this perspective, evaluating three aspects of sustainablity, including economic, environmental, and social sustainability, as the main characteristic to review the literature of supply chain design and planning models has been the subject of several review studies, however, modeling and optimization of sustainable biomass supply chains have not been reviewed and analysed so far. To bridge this gap, this paper provides a taxonomic review of biomass to bio-products supply chains design and planning models that evaluate or optimize economic, environmental, and social aspects of sustainability. To this aim, a total number of 178 papers published in scientific journals are categorized and analyzed according to a comprehensive classification framework, including sustainability dimensions, decision level, modeling approach, model characteristic, solution approach, uncertainty modeling approach, and data. Some significant factors ignored in the previous studies such as sustainability aspects, transportation modes, by-products, type of biomass feedstocks, international and governmental factors are considered in this review in order to provide a comprehensive vision for the readers. Finally, the drawbacks and research gaps that have been identified through the literature review are highlighted, and potential directions for future studies are recommended. • A taxonomic review of sustainable biomass supply chain planning is proposed. • 126 journal papers related to sustainable biomass supply chain design are reviewed. • A more extensive classification for sustainable biomass supply chain models is employed. • Literature gaps are identified and potential future research directions are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Briquettes made from biomass residues could contribute to ensuring the sustainable supply of biomass energy. The paper reviews the present briquette making process in Kenya especially in Nairobi and peri-urban areas. The paper introduces the energy situation in Kenya, then the briquette making process and finally presents the challenges and opportunities in briquette making. In the opportunities section, eighteen briquette producers participated in the question and answer exercise to quantitatively provide information on briquette making. Most producers use bare hands (handmade briquettes), others make use of novel-based machines such as ram-piston type, motorized screw press, shredder, wooden press and the mold-box piston type all made from locally available materials. The mixing ratios and the various ingredients used in briquette making are haphazard with no standard ratio and specific mixture for optimum briquette production. Despite these, most briquette producers are well along in the briquette business. At the same time, the end-use consumers are very positive in using the briquette fuel as an alternative fuel. Some of the end-use consumers are the schools, churches, hotels and some households. This study indicates that the opportunities for briquette making are immense and could help curb deforestation thereby reduce environmental degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A team of European scientists recently raised concerns regarding the potential of harvesting biomass from mesopelagic ecosystems to help sustain the growing human population. They cite research showing that there may be up to 10 billion metric tons of pelagic biomass comprised of species in numerous taxonomic groups living at depths typically between 300 and 800 m-resources infrequently harvested commercially but with both benefits and risks to being harvested. They stressed the need for sustainable harvests, partly to avoid compromising the needs of future generations. They also stressed the need for further assessment, a more holistic understanding of the dynamics of deep-sea communities, and the need to consider the consequences of such harvests. In this paper, we join this team of scientists in being precautionary-especially in bringing holism to decision making. We take advantage of holistically normative natural patterns for guidance to avoid abnormal consequences of harvesting mesopelagic biomass-consequences involving systems such as other species, marine ecosystems, the marine environment, and the biosphere to include the sustainability of such systems themselves. This involves addressing questions such as "In comparison to other species, would harvesting mesopelagic resources involve abnormality in the depths at which humans harvest from the marine environment?" or "In comparison to other species, would harvesting mesopelagic resources contribute to abnormality in the total harvest currently taken by humans in the marine environment?" We consider other aspects of the human presence and influence on our planet and address observed abnormality as it would be influenced by mesopelagic harvests. Our approach takes advantage of hodepths greater than observed for most conventional fisheries (e.g., Norse et al., 2012; St. John et al., 2016). The mesopelagic zone (roughly 200-1,000 m in depth) is often characterized by a fish community including many species of Myctophiids (lanternfish) as well as other fish and invertebrates- often small-bodied species (e.g., krill, Meganyctiphanes norvegica). The overall complexity with which we are confronted in their evolutionary and ecological interactions is beyond conventional treatment (e.g., see: Merrie et al., 2018); the lack of holism in conventional approaches to management is pervasive. St. John et al. (2016) cite previous work to indicate that there may be as much as 10 billion metric tons of biomass in mesopelagic communities that could potentially be harvested to help guarantee "sustainable development for our growing human population." Without considering the lack of listic information important to any aspect of management, and especially harvesting resources. This is information about the participation in complex natural systems by other species. We begin by examining the abnormality that would be involved in taking resources at the depths where mesopelagic communities are observed to occur- to directly address the issue of depth. We then consider both directly and indirectly related dimensions of such harvesting to show how abnormality already observed in human participation in ecosystems and the biosphere would be accentuated. We conclude that it would be a serious mistake to harvest deep-sea resources. Harvesting at such depths would itself be an abnormality in the ways humans participate in marine ecosystems. It would also result in the accentuation or perpetuation of many other forms of abnormality-often already extreme in their magnitude. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-objective optimization (MOO) is widely applied in sustainability problems where several objectives must be accounted for in the analysis. Unfortunately, its complexity grows with the number of objectives, which hampers its practical use. In this paper, we simplify MOO problems via their combination with multi-attribute decision-making (MADM) methods. The approach identifies a unique Pareto solution of the MOO problem, which best reflects the decision-makers’ preferences, by using weighting factors generated via four well-known MADM methods: SWING, SMART, AHP and TRADE OFF. The capabilities of this approach are illustrated through its application to the design and planning of a sugar/ethanol supply chain using questionnaires filled in by academic experts in the problem. We find that the weights obtained using MADM algorithms may well differ from the ones given by standard life-cycle assessment methods employed in systems engineering problems. Overall, our approach simplifies the MOO problem by identifying solutions consistent with the decision-makers’ preferences and by providing valuable insight on how these preferences are articulated in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on an analysis of the energy mix profile and energy efficiency of the Brazilian dairy industry. It investigates dairies’ energy mix and energy efficiency and identifies some actions for a cleaner energy mix. Primary data from 37 dairy cheese-making establishments distributed among the Brazilian regions were obtained from online surveys. The results indicate that woodfuel plays a critical role, being the most used fuel in thermal energy generation, while diesel is dominant in electric generation. It also emphasizes that only 51% of the dairy establishments utilize electric energy generators. Other alternative biomass sources are still incipient in the sector, restricted to just 9.5% of the cases for thermal energy generation and no cases for electricity. Regarding the energy efficiency analysis, the results suggest dairies are more scale efficient than pure technical efficient. However, the dairies present a low energy efficiency level. There is no evidence that inefficiencies are differently distributed according to their size. These findings are important for government agencies, industry associations, scientists, universities and research institutes. High inefficiencies, regarding the use of electricity and thermal energy, are a key issue in sustainable bioenergy production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomass-to-Liquid (BTL) and Coal-to-Liquid (CTL) Synfuels have been the two most significant alternatives for the transportation liquid fuels. But their performance in resource depletion, economic investment, and environmental impacts differs greatly from the conventional refinery. For comparing the strengths and the weakness of each alternative, a quantitative trade-off procedure is required. However, a few researches have discussed such trade-off procedures. In this paper, the life cycle inventories, production cost, and Ecological Cumulative Exergy Consumption (ECEC) of BTL and CTL in China are investigated to compare the pros and cons of each Synfuel. Herewith, the ECEC is taken as a metric for the ecological burden, providing a significant way to integrate the life cycle resource, economic, and environmental factors of Synfuels for the sustainability assessments. The results demonstrated that the shifting of petroleum to BTL reduced the CO 2 emission by 98% but relatively increased the water consumption and wastewater. The production cost-breakeven crude oil price with BTL is about 98 $/bbl without considering the taxes, and it could be decreased to 50 $/bbl according to China's tax policy. More importantly, BTL could cut as high as 65% of the overall ecological burden so that would be much more beneficial to the sustainable development of the fuel industry. On the other hand, the economic effectiveness of CTL is relatively reliable, where its production cost-breakeven crude oil price is below 70 $/bbl. However, 10.7 t of CO 2 are created for each tonne of CTL, which is 3.3 times to conventional petroleum, and three times of water is consumed in the whole. The ECEC analysis also indicates that the shifting of crude oil to coal for transportation fuels will almost double the overall ecological burden and pose threats to the safety and sustainability of the entire fuel industry at which the cautions should be paid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyol ether production process can result in emission of extremely hazardous substances besides it requires high energy demand which can also cause environmental impacts. This paper presents an exergy-aided life cycle assessment (LCA) to pinpoint avoidable key causes of the environmental unsustainability in the period of clean energy transition, and enhance the sustainability as much as achievable. The power generation system is pinpointed as the mitigable key source of the unsustainability of the polyol ether production under the strict process constraints imposed by the energy transition. Then, a set of possible scenarios supported by Monte Carlo simulations are defined, resulting in reducing environmental impacts from 7.17 to 7.11 MJ equivalent of nonrenewable energy sources according to the Cumulative Exergy Demand or from the dimensionless normalized results of 3.43E-04 to 2.98E-04 according to ReCiPe. Moreover, LCA is advantageous to quantify precisely environmental impacts of each chemical component, showing that CO 2 has much more adverse impacts on human health than the hazardous substances. Additionally, LCA reveals that natural gas can even be less sustainable than residual fuel oil in terms of freshwater ecotoxicity (75%), marine ecotoxicity (51%), terrestrial acidification (27%), human toxicity (43%), particulate matter formation (18%), and fossil depletion (64%) impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Alternative protein sources are constantly explored to secure the future food and protein demand. Among these sources, biomasses originating from algae, seaweed or leaves receive lots of attention. However, when the yields and purities of protein extracted from these sources are compared to the corresponding data for protein crops such as soy, lupine and pulses, much lower yields are reported for alternative biomasses. Scope and approach In this overview paper, we analyse whether this difference is due to lack of scientific insight and technology or that more fundamental reasons are behind the variations in the extraction behaviour. For this purpose, we prepared a description of herbaceous and aquatic biomasses (denoted as green biomass/sources) and their protein extraction practices, final products, and common trends and challenges. The discussion continues with a general comparison to protein crops and the implications for future research. Key findings and conclusions Overviewing the state of the art, we tend to conclude that physiological and biochemical factors hinder efficient fractionation of green sources. Such factors include cell architecture and high interconnection between cell components; and biochemical differences, in particular the type of proteins present. These fundamental differences imply that green sources should be explored in a different manner, with higher emphasis on the interesting functional properties of enriched fractions and less on their purity. This approach is further encouraged by highlighting examples where the intricate structures found in green biomass can give rise to positive effects (e.g. health, food structure) when integrally applied in food products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While biomass has been recognized as an important renewable energy source which has a range of positive impacts on the economy, environment, and society, the existence of feedstock seasonality and risk of service disruptions at collection facilities potentially compromises the efficiency and reliability of the energy supply system. In this paper, we consider reliable supply chain design for biomass collection against feedstock seasonality and time-varying disruption risks. We optimize facility location, inventory, biomass quantity, and shipment decisions in a multi-period planning horizon setting. A real-world case in Hubei, China is studied to offer managerial insights. Our computational results show that: (1) the disruption risk significantly affects both the optimal facility locations and the supply chain cost; (2) no matter how the failure probability changes, setting backup facilities can significantly decrease the total cost; and (3) the feedstock seasonality does not affect locations of the collection facilities, but it affects the allocations of collection facilities and brings higher inventory cost for the biomass supply chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bio-based economy requires a sustainable utilization of bioresources for production of a range of products, including pulp, paper, chemicals, biofuel and bioplastics. Currently, various types of bioplastics are produced industrially, competing in performance and price with the conventional fossil-oil based plastics. However, there is also a major interest in utilizing non-food crops, such as lignocellulosics, for production of drop-in polymers or new dedicated bioplastics. Lignocellulosic resources have a potential to replace plastics and materials, which have been traditionally based on fossil resources. This is important, as the development of high performance bio-based and renewable materials is one important factor for sustainable growth of the bio-based industry. However, production of bioplastics from forestry biomass requires a dedicated fractionation into the major components, i.e. cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin, effective purification processes and cost-effective routes for conversion into monomers and platform molecules, utilized as a basis for bioplastics production. These processes are now technologically demanding and not profitable. The intention of this work was thus to review the current advances that have been made during the years within fractionation and purification of lignocelluloses and the processes that may feasible for production of bioplastics, based on wood components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]