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Bioenergy will play an intimate and critical role in energy supply and carbon mitigation in the future. In recent years, "customizing the development of bioenergy to local conditions" and "prioritizing distributed utilization" have been the two key principles that have been released by the Chinese government to promote the national‐ and provincial‐level development of bioenergy. While many recognize the importance of bioenergy in achieving low‐carbon transition, little is known about the high‐resolution distribution of usable biomass feedstock and technical bioenergy potential in China, which brings about uncertainties and additional challenges for creating localized utilization plans. We propose a new assessment framework that integrates crop growth models, a land suitability assessment, and the geographic information systems to address these knowledge gaps. Distributions of 11 types of usable biomass feedstock and three kinds of technical bioenergy potential are mapped out through specific transformation technologies at 1 km resolution. At the national level, the final technical biogas potential is 1.91 EJ. The technical bioethanol potential (0.04–0.96 EJ) from the energy crop can supply 0.13–3.12 times the bioethanol demand for the consumption of E10 gasoline in 2015. The technical heat potential (1.06 EJ) can meet 20% of the demand for heating in all provinces (5.38 EJ). Most of the 2020 bioenergy goals can be achieved, excluding that for bioethanol, which will need to require more cellulosic ethanol from residues. At the provincial level, Henan and Inner Mongolia have the potential to develop clean heating alternatives via the substitution of agroforestry residues for coal. The results can provide a systematic analysis of the distribution of biomass feedstocks and technical bioenergy potential in China. With economic factors taken into consideration in further research, it can also support national and provincial governments in making bioenergy development plans in an effective and timely manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of 2D sheet Bi2OxS3−x/Nb6O17 (Bi/Nb) heterostructure photocatalysts were synthesized through a facile hydrothermal vulcanization method between Bi3+ exchanged K4Nb6O17 and thiourea (NH2CSNH2). XRD results confirm that the heterostructures were composed of Bi2OxS3−x and Nb6O17. HRTEM indicates that Bi2OxS3−x was successfully intercalated into layers of K4Nb6O17. Such large interfacial contacts can be beneficial to the transfer and separation of photogenerated charge carriers. Thus the composites exhibit good photocatalytic performance for the degradation of methyl orange (MO) under visible light irradiation (λ ＞ 400 nm), which is superior to that of both precursors, pure Bi2S3 and K4Nb6O17. Radical capture tests reveal that photogenerated holes h+ and ṖO2− play important roles in the photodegradation of MO. And based on the UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS) and the band gap of the semiconductors, the mechanism of the enhanced visible light photocatalytic activity of these composites has been proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methane production from lignocellulosic feedstock through high solid anaerobic digestion is a huge potential technology. However, the shortage of an efficient reactor has become a major bottleneck in developing the technology. The continuous feeding and discharge of lignocellulosic feedstock with high solids is difficult to complete. Methane production from the feedstock is low in practice. Thus, it is important to develop a new reactor with efficient feeding and discharge feedstock equipments and improve methane production by an optimized operation process. Based on synthesizing the merits of a number of techniques home and abroad, a novel anaerobic reactor was designed in this study. The reactor had two spiral equipments to implement continuous feeding and discharge feedstock with high solid content and had a high bearing capability of organic loading rate (OLR) to improve methane production. In order to provide a technology and some reliable operating parameters to efficiently produce methane from lignocellulosic feedstock, the continuous anaerobic co-digestion tests were conducted at three total solid contents of 10%, 15% and 20% using corn stalk and dairy manure as feedstock. An integrated two-phase division digestion system was constructed by controlling stirring intensity (h/d) and feeding intensity (d). The methane volumetric production rate (MVPR) of different OLRs was compared. Effects of the total solid (TS) of feedstock, stirring, feeding intensity on height, pH of function divisions, and MVPR were discussed in detail. The results showed that function divisions, including the acidification division of upside and methanogenic division of underpart in the vertical reactor, were obviously formed when TS were 10% and 15%, MVPR gradually increased, and methane content stabilized around 52% with OLR increasing. The highest MVPR reached 1.62 and 1.66 m3/(m3·d) respectively when OLR was 13.44 kg/(m3·d) at 10% TS and 20.17 kg/(m3·d) at 15% TS. MVPR significantly decreased when OLR was 20.17 kg/(m3·d) and 30.0 kg/(m3·d), respectively, which might be caused by the accumulation of volatile fatty acids. MVPR stabilized around 0.98 m3/(m3·d) with OLR increasing, then it dramatically decreased and anaerobic digestion failed when OLR reached 30.0 kg/(m3·d) at 20% TS. The results of two factors interacting declared the highest MVPR at 1.63-1.69 m3/(m3·d) The efficient acidification division and methanogenic division were formed, and the height ratio of both was 1.1-1.6:1 when stirring intensity, feeding intensity, and TS were 6-12 h/d, 6.5-10 d, and 10%-15%, respectively. In summary, the process of continuous feeding and discharge at 10%-20% TS of lignocellulosic feedstock was feasible in the anaerobic digestion reactor. The reactor was more efficient and stable to produce methane at 10% and 15% TS compared to 20% TS, and MVPR could be improved by adjusting stirring intensity and feeding intensity. Therefore, this technology has a promising prospect for industrial scale application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arable (cereals, pulses and tubers) production has been the most important object of Chinese agriculture. China has long insisted on 'self-reliance on grain', often at the expense of resources and the environment. The impact of globalization and its entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO) require China to reorient its agriculture over the next two decades so that it is based on ecological and economic principles. The alternatives are: (1) to increase grain imports to about 10% of total consumption; (2) to develop horticulture, livestock and aquaculture with their greater comparative advantages; (3) to expand the notion of agriculture by, for example, developing 'energy farming'. The real future challenge for grain production will come from the rapid development of livestock production and its requirements, rather than growing edible grains for human consumption. To address this new type of livestock revolution, there will be a need to promote Chinese ecological agriculture (CEA) as well as to improve feed efficiency. The measures taken must focus on increasing farmers' incentives to help bring about the changes and on achieving the sustainable development of agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Along with the development of the starch and grain-alcohol industries, biomass energy production has recently become important. Cassava is an important biomass energy plant. In this paper, geographic information system (GIS) and remote sensing (RS) are used, along with a knowledge of the growing environment needed for cassava and the farmland and ecology protection policy of China, to evaluate the cassava growing potential of Wuming County. The processing of spatial data is done first. Then, the evaluation principles are defined according to the spatial data and the required growth conditions. The evaluation data are obtained by spatial data analysis according with the evaluation principles. Lastly, the cassava planting potential results are verified by referencing these to cassava planting statistical data for 2005 provided by Nanning City Government of Guangxi province. This paper provides the science basis for Wuming County to develop local grain-alcohol and biomass energy industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cassava ( Manihot esculenta Crantz) stems, being waste residues after harvesting starchy roots, are a potential biofuel resource. However high concentrations of ash and elements Cl, K, etc. in the stems may cause severe deposition, corrosion and particle emissions, in addition to slagging during combustion. This study tests washing by water as a pretreatment to reduce the problems. A 3-level full factorial designed experiment was conducted with washing time (< 1800 s) and temperature (20–40 °C) as factors and fuel characteristics as responses. The effect of milling particle size was also examined in a supplementary experiment. After washing, the net calorific value of the biomass tended to be higher, though not significant. Both washing time and temperature increased C but decreased H, while N and S content decreased with time only. A short washing of 50 s decreased the ash content by approximately 50% and Cl around 75%, followed by K and P that decreased to 50% after 5 min. Smaller milling size resulted in a larger amount of starch washed away, but no significant change in content of total ash and individual elements, except for Cl which was significantly higher in the smaller particles. The effect of washing on the ash composition is visualized in a ternary diagram, showing that the risk for slagging and fine particle emissions is reduced. A reduction in the risk of corrosion is also predicted as indicated by a relatively higher ratio of S/Cl and lower Cl/(K + Na). Thus, in addition to extraction of starch, the washing can also improve fuel quality of the residual biomass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of 2D sheet Bi2OxS3-x/Nb6O17 (Bi/Nb) heterostructure photocatalysts were synthesized through a facile hydrothermal vulcanization method between Bi(3+) exchanged K4Nb6O17 and thiourea (NH2CSNH2). XRD results confirm that the heterostructures were composed of Bi2OxS3-x and Nb6O17. HRTEM indicates that Bi2OxS3-x was successfully intercalated into layers of K4Nb6O17. Such large interfacial contacts can be beneficial to the transfer and separation of photogenerated charge carriers. Thus the composites exhibit good photocatalytic performance for the degradation of methyl orange (MO) under visible light irradiation (λ > 400 nm), which is superior to that of both precursors, pure Bi2S3 and K4Nb6O17. Radical capture tests reveal that photogenerated holes h(+) and ˙O2(-) play important roles in the photodegradation of MO. And based on the UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS) and the band gap of the semiconductors, the mechanism of the enhanced visible light photocatalytic activity of these composites has been proposed.

A novel two-phase anaerobic treatment technology was developed to treat high-concentration organic cassava bioethanol wastewater. The start-up process and contribution of organics (COD, total nitrogen, and NH4 +-N) removal in spatial succession of the whole process and spatial microbial diversity changing when sampling were analyzed. The results of the start-up phase showed that the organic loading rate could reach up to 10 kg COD/m(3)d, with the COD removal rate remaining over 90% after 25 days. The sample results indicated that the contribution of COD removal in the pre-anaerobic and anaerobic phases was 40% and 60%, respectively, with the highest efficiency of 98.5%; TN and NH4 +-N had decreased to 0.05 g/l and 0.90 g/l, respectively, and the mineralization rate of total nitrogen was 94.8%, 76.56% of which was attributed to the anaerobic part. The microbial diversity changed remarkably among different sample points depending on the physiological characteristics of identified strains. Moraxellaceae, Planococcaceae, and Prevotellaceae were dominant in the pre-anaerobic phase and Bacteroidetes, Campylobacterales, Acinetobacter, Lactobacillus, Clostridium, and Bacillus for the anaerobic phase. Methanosarcinaceae and Methanosaeta were the two main phylotypes in the anaerobic reactor.

The effect of temperature on the functionality of microbial community structure in a low temperature, anaerobic fixed-bed reactor was studied by decreasing the operating temperature from 18 °C to 5 °C. The reactor was productive within 20 days and produced stable methane content in biogas (above 77%) throughout the trial period. At 17 °C and 15 °C, chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency and biogas production of reactor were significantly reduced. These might be temperature thresholds when fixed-bed reactors are operated under low temperatures. The methanogen community composition was analyzed using 16S rRNA gene clone library screening and quantitative PCR. At low ambient temperatures, Methanomicrobiales were dominant methanogens, and they preferentially adhered to the carbon fiber carrier. The results indicated that 16S rRNA levels of Methanomicrobiales and Methanosaetaceae in adhering sludge were higher than in deposited sludge, and they all contributed to the efficient performance of the fixed-bed reactor at low operating temperatures., (Crown Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)