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Global energy consumption is expected to grow by 56% between 2010 and 2040. Renewable energy is one of the fastest-growing energy resources, and biomass is a major feedstock for providing renewable energy. It constitutes up to 35% of the main energy consumption in developing countries. Densified solid biofuel with high density gets a lot of attention due to its uniform shape and low heating cost. When considering densified solid biofuels as a viable solution for energy production, its quality needs to be improved. Solid biofuel quality is a function of the chemical composition and physical properties of the raw materials. It is widely reported that the raw material chemical composition has a major effect on the final solid biofuel quality, as it influences the heating value, ash content, and mechanical durability. The moisture content influences the net heating value, combustion efficiency, and mechanical durability of solid biofuels. The bulk density influences the mechanical durability, thermal characteristics, as well as handling and storage costs of solid biofuels. This work reviewed the latest developments on the effects of the chemical composition, moisture content, and bulk density of raw materials on the thermal efficiency, emission, and mechanical durability of densified solid biofuels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most plant fibers are good sorbents of oil; however, synthetic sorbents have a much higher sorption capacity (SC) than plant fibers. This study evaluated the effect of fiber treatments, specifically hot-water treatment and mercerization, on the absorption characteristics of selected plant fibers. Five common plant fibers--corn residues, soybean residues, cotton burr and stem (CBS), cattail, and oak--were evaluated for their absorption characteristics in crude oil, motor oil, deionized (DO) water, and a 80:20 mix of DO water. The fiber treatments included ground fiber (control), hotwater treatment at 80 °C for 4 h and 125 °C for 4 h, mercerization at room temp for 48 h, and mercerization at 300 °C for 1 h. The absorption capacity (AC) varied with fiber type, absorption medium, and fiber treatment. Mercerization at 300 °C increased the water absorption of soybean residue up to 8 g/g. Mercerization at room temperature and the hot-water treatment at 125 °C increased the crude oil absorption capacity. After certain treatments, the crude oil absorption capacity of CBS and corn fibers increased over 5 g/g, and the motor oil absorption capacity of cattail, corn, and soybean also increased to 4 to 5 g/g. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]