What You Should Know About Combined Heat and Power Systems

trigeneration-plant-sydney

Combined Heat and Power (CHP) is the simultaneous generation of multiple forms of useful energy (usually mechanical and thermal) in a single, integrated system. In conventional electricity generation systems, about 35% of the energy potential contained in the fuel is converted on average into electricity, whilst the rest is lost as waste heat. CHP systems […]

Everything You Need to Know About Hydrothermal Carbonization

Hydrothermal-Carbonization

Most would agree that the production of biofuels is important, even necessary, for our future. There are significant differences in the production of various biofuels, especially concerning the production of biocoal, which will impact the acceptance and use of biofuel in the future. This article focuses on one technology for the production of biocoal which […]

Biomass Energy Outlook for Southeast Asia

Southeast asia

Southeast Asia, with its abundant biomass resources, holds a strategic position in the global biomass energy atlas. There is immense potential of biopower in Southeast Asian countries due to plentiful supply of diverse forms of wastes such as agricultural residues, woody biomass, animal wastes, municipal solid waste, etc. The rapid economic growth and industrialization in […]

Bioenergy Potential in Thailand

cassava harvesting near khorat 3np

Thailand has tremendous biomass energy potential  with some studies projecting that biomass wastes can cover up to 15 % of the energy demand in Thailand. These estimations are primarily made from biomass waste from the extraction part of agricultural activities, and for large scale agricultural processing of crops etc. – as for instance saw and […]

Biomass Energy Prospects in Malaysia

Malaysia Palm

Biomass is one of the most important sources of renewable energy in Malaysia. The National Biofuel Policy, launched in 2006 encourages the use of environmentally friendly, sustainable and viable sources of biomass energy. Under the Five Fuel Policy, the government of Malaysia has identified biomass as one of the potential renewable energy. Malaysia produces atleast […]

Everything You Should Know About Agricultural Biomass

Straw Bales

Agricultural biomass as an energy source is a system of interdependent components. Economic and technical viability of this system relies on a guaranteed biomass feedstock supply, effective and efficient conversion technologies, guaranteed markets for the energy products, and cost-effective distribution systems. One of the most important factors in the efficient utilization of agricultural biomass resource is […]

Bioenergy Sector in South Africa

biogas-south-africa

South Africa is endowed with abundant renewable energy resources in the form of biomass, solar and wind energy. The Government’s White Paper on Renewable Energy Policy, released in 2003, supports the development of alternative energy systems with an ambitious target of generating 10,000 GWh green electricity by 2013. The introduction of Renewable Energy Feed-in-Tariff (REFIT) […]

Clean Energy in Germany

solar energy storage

Germany is one of the world’s most prolific users of clean energy for power, heating, and transport. Germany has rapidly expanded the use of clean energy which now contributes almost one-fourth to the national energy mix. Renewable energy contribute as much as one-fourth of the primary energy mix and the country has set a goal […]

Biomass Energy in Africa: An Overview

bioenergy conversion

In recent years, there has been renewed interest in biomass energy in Africa, primarily due to growing environmental crisis, energy security concerns and rapid increase in fossil fuel prices. Africa’s convertible currency earnings are very low due to poor world market prices and decreased volumes of its commodity exports. Consequently, it is estimated that, petroleum imports as […]

Chasing Green in India

green-resolutions

A consumer survey on people’s perceptions of green brands and corporate social responsibility shows that 64% of Indian consumers plan to spend more on green products. More importantly, nearly 48 % of Indian consumers said they were willing to spend over 10% more on a product simply because it is green. By defying what the consumer […]

Global Trends in Cogeneration of Bagasse

Bagasse

Cogeneration of Bagasse is one of the most attractive and successful energy projects that have already been demonstrated in many Sugarcane producing countries such as Mauritius, Reunion Island, India and Brazil. Combined heat and power from Sugarcane in the form of power generation offers renewable energy options that promote sustainable development, take advantage of domestic […]

Sustainable Biomass Energy Sector Development: Perspectives

biomass-sustainability

Biomass energy systems offer significant possibilities for reducing greenhouse gas emissions due to their immense potential to replace fossil fuels in energy production. Biomass reduces emissions and enhances carbon sequestration since short-rotation crops or forests established on abandoned agricultural land accumulate carbon in the soil. Biomass energy usually provides an irreversible mitigation effect by reducing […]

Woody Biomass as a Source of Renewable Energy

wood

A wide range of woody biomass resources are available for conversion into renewable energy in natural forests, rural areas and cities. There are many ways to generate electricity from woody biomass using thermochemical pathway, including directly-fired or conventional steam approach, co-firing, pyrolysis and gasification. Direct Firing Most of the woody biomass-to-energy plants use direct-fired system […]

Cleantech Investment in Germany

cleantech germany

Germany is one of the world’s third largest market for renewable energy investment which totalled $15.2 billion in 2016. Germany spent 25 billion euros ($26 billion) on renewable energy in 2016, most of which—23 billion euros— consumers paid through a surcharge on their electricity bills. Germany’s plan to phase out all 17 of its nuclear […]

Biomass Energy in the Philippines

Cut sugarcane

Like any developing country, the Philippines is facing a formidable challenge of fostering sustainable energy options to support the energy requirements of its economic and social development goals with minimal adverse effects on the environment. In the Philippines, renewable energy sources contribute 43 percent to the country’s primary energy mix, one of the highest in […]

Cane Trash As Bioenergy Resource

Cut sugarcane

Sugarcane is among the most ideal of bioenergy energy feedstocks in terms of efficiency and flexibility, providing gaseous, liquid and solid fuels. It offers the potential for climate change mitigation through substitution for fossil fuels without the need for excessive subsidies or expensive infrastructure development. Sugar industry can make a substantial contribution to the bioenergy […]

Global Biomass Energy Outlook

biomass-fuel

Biomass energy has rapidly become a vital part of the global renewable energy mix and account for an ever-growing share of electric capacity added worldwide. As per the REN 2014, global biopower (including solid, liquid and gaseous fuels) electricity generation capacity was 88 GW in the year 2013. With 4.4 GW capacity, India ranked 5th […]

All You Need to Know About Lignocellulosic Biomass

rice-husk

First-generation biofuels (produced primarily from food crops such as grains, sugar beet and oil seeds) are limited in their ability to achieve targets for oil-product substitution, climate change mitigation, and economic growth. Their sustainable production is under scanner, as is the possibility of creating undue competition for land and water used for food and fibre […]

Peat as a Biomass Energy Resource

peat-biomass

Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation. One of the most common components is Sphagnum moss, although many other plants can contribute. Peat forms in wetland conditions, where flooding obstructs flows of oxygen from the atmosphere, reducing rates of decomposition. Bogs are the most important source of peat. Since organic matter accumulates over thousands of years, peat deposits also provide records […]

Biorefinery as a Source of Advanced Biofuels

biorefinery concept

A biorefinery is a facility that integrates biomass conversion processes and equipment to produce fuels, power, and value-added chemicals from biomass. A biorefinery is analogous to a petroleum refinery, which produces multiple fuels and products from petroleum. By producing several products, a biorefinery takes advantage of the various components in biomass and their intermediates, therefore […]

Introduction to Biomass Pyrolysis

figure01

Pyrolysis is the thermal decomposition of biomass occurring in the absence of oxygen. It is the fundamental chemical reaction that is the precursor of both the combustion and gasification processes and occurs naturally in the first two seconds. The products of biomass pyrolysis include biochar, bio-oil and gases including methane, hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and carbon […]

Waste to Energy in Jordan

biogas plant amman

Waste-to-energy is getting increasing attention in Jordan because of the cheap and abundant availability of a wide range of biomass feedstock, including municipal solid waste, sewage, industrial waste etc. Municipal solid wastes represent the best feedstock for waste to energy plants  in Jordan. In terms of quantity per capita and constituents, the waste generated in […]

Biomass Energy Prospects in Indonesia

Palm plantation

The development of renewable energy is one of priority targets in Indonesia. For power generation, it is important to increase electricity power in order to meet national demand and to change fossil fuel consumption by utilization of biomass wastes. The current pressure for cost savings and competitiveness in Indonesia’s most important biomass-based industries, along with the […]