Energy

Gasification: INTRODUCTION Biomass is one of the main available source of renewable energy. Its thermochemical upgrading can be performed in gasification (in the presence of air, O2, steam) or in pyrolysis (inert atmosphere) processes. The aim of gasification is to produce gases (CO, H2) [1]. Biomass fast pyrolysis, characterized by high heating rates has been invented in the 70th with the objective to produce maximum fractions of gases. In last decade fast pyrolysis has been mainly carried out for the conversion of biomass into condensed vapours commonly named bio-oils [2]. However, only…

In 2002, fossil fuels supplied 86 percent of the energy consumed in the United States. We also imported over half of the petroleum we used and we project that our dependency will continue to grow. Since the U.S. economy is so closely tied with petroleum products and oil imports, small changes in oil prices or disruptions in oil supplies can have an enormous impact on the American (and for that matter the entire Global) economy. We understand that we will always rely on fossil fuels. But, we also understand that value of developing technologies using renewable energy sources, including biomass…

Vegetable oil can be obtained from more than 300 different plant species. Oil is contained mainly in fruits and seeds, yet still other origins exist. The highest oil yields can be obtained from tree crops, such as palms, coconuts, and olives, but there are a number of field crops containing oils. Climatic and soil conditions, oil content, yields and the feasibility of farm operations, however, limit the potential use of vegetable oils to a reduced number of crops. Apart from the previously mentioned semirefined oils, vegetable oils can also be used in the esterificated form. Diesel engines…

Key economic characteristics that distinguish industrial biofuel from fossil fuel conversion systems are their general cost structures, scale economies, degree and type of subsidies, foreign exchange impacts, reliance on byproduct credits, and environmental externalities. To highlight major differences, the following discussion is organized around this set of economic and financial characteristics that differentiate the viability of biofuel from fossil fuel systems. Cost composition In Figure 2, a comparison of average costs for different sizes (20-50 MW) of conversion systems shows the…

Biofuel use in the transport sector Because transport fuels are almost exclusively petroleum derived, the rapid real price increases for oil in the 1970s left the transport sector in most oil-importing countries extremely vulnerable. As a result, many countries explored biofuel substitution options. Among the developing countries, Brazil’s aggressive sugarcane-to-ethanol programme provides the best available data and lessons on the economics of biomass-derived transport fuels. Brazil’s commitment in 1975 to increase its use of ethanol as a petrol extender was started in response to several…

A spatially resolved biomass burning data set, and related emissions of SO2 and aerosol chemical constituents was constructed for India, for 1996–1997 and extrapolated to the INDOEX period (1998–1999). Sources included biofuels (wood, crop waste and dungcake) and forest fires (accidental, shifting cultivation and controlled burning). PM emission factors were compiled from studies of Indian cooking stoves and from literature for open burning. BC and OM emissions were estimated from these, accounting for combustion temperatures in cooking stoves. SO2 emission factors were based on fuel sulphur…

Biomass consumption 5.1. Biofuels Rural and urban biofuel consumption were estimated using respective per capita consumption at a district level, and results aggregated at the state and national level. Total biofuel (all fuels) consumption was 538MTyr_1 for 1996–1997. Rural fuelwood consumption was 293MTyr_1, with the states of Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal accounting 51% of total consumption. Urban fuelwood consumption was very low (9MTyr_1). Crop waste consumption was 116MTyr_1, with east-coast states (Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and West Bengal)…

Brookhaven National Laboratory scientists say your wine bottle may hold a secret to a new biofuel. Inside cork is an enzyme responsible for the formation of suberin, the woody, waxy, cell-wall substance found in cork.   It helps keep wine inside your bottle but in plants suberin controls water and nutrient transportation and keeps pathogens out. Adjusting the permeability of plant tissues by genetically manipulating the expression of this enzyme could lead to easier agricultural production of crops used for biofuels. These images show that seeds deficient in HHT (right), an enzyme…

It is estimated that biomass covers currently up to 15% of the world energy demand, almost 1/3 of all energy consumption in the Less-Developed Countries. This rate was over the last years rather constant, with increasing overall demand bioenergy consumption increased in absolute terms. Table 1 : World Energy Consumption pattern 1997 (ref 1) Biomass Share Total World 9.6 Bio TOE 1-1.5 Bio TOE 11-15% Asia 2.3 Bio TOE 0.6-0.8 Bio TOE >30% Africa 0.4 Bio TOE 0.2-0.27 Bio TOE >50% Lat. America 0.4 Bio TOE Table 1 makes it clear that the proportion of bioenergy is particularly…

STUDIES ON BIOMASS UTILIZATION IN A RURAL INDIA AND ITS IMPACT ASSESSMENT ON ENVIRONMENT WITH SUGGESTION FOR POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVES Ashwini Kumar and Santosh Sharma Bio-Technology Lab Department of Botany University of Rajasthan, Jaipur - 302 004 Energy Plantation Demonstration project and Biotechnology Center. Email. msku31@yahoo.com ABSTRACT : Around 80% of the population lives in rural areas which primarily utilize biomass for their energy requirement. Depending on the agroclimatic zone by diversity and plant productivity the biomass utilization varies in different parts of the country. A…