Bioenergy Options for a Cleaner Environment describes the biomass resource and its delivery. A panel of international experts describe the range of conversion technologies both commercially available and under development, and explore the technical, environmental and socio-economic barriers and benefits of using biomass in both developed and developing countries. - Covers a number of perspectives, taking the reader through the whole process from the bioenergy resource through conversion to fuel, to policy issues - World class Editor and contributors - Accessible and useful to those working in agriculture, forestry and planning, as well as energy researchers
The 1st World Conference and Technology Exhibition on Biomass for Energy and Industry, held in Sevilla in June 2000, brought together for the first time the traditional European Conference on Biomass for Energy and Industry and the Biomass Conference of the Americas, thus creating the largest and most outstanding event in the worldwide biomass sector. The conference elaborated innovative global strategies, projects and efficient practice rules for energy and the environment at a key stage in the industry's development. New concepts and projects were highlighted to increase the social and political awareness for a change in worldwide resource consumption and to promote economically, socially and environmentally sustainable development for the next millennium. In 2 volumes, the Proceedings include some 470 papers essential to an understanding of current thinking, practice, research and global developments in the biomass sector - a vital reference source for researchers, manufacturers, and policy makers involved or interested in the use of biomass for energy and industry.
This book consists mainly of revised versions of the papers presentedat the "Energy Systems and Technologies: as Approached from Adaptive Complexity" symposium sessions during the 4th International Conference on "NewEnergy Systems and Conversions" (20-30 June 1999; Osaka University, Japan), as well assome pertinent additional research reports.In order to realise the adaptive complexity of a system, it is necessary to know the energy conversion mechanisms of the media. This book details a wide range of situations in which adaptive complexity can be applied and found, from predicting air-flow in a room to describing turbulence as a complex system. The idea of approaching both the study of energy systems and energy technologies from the adaptive complexity aspect is new, and still a very much developing field.These pioneering articles discuss not only previous, but also pending problems.
Traditional agriculture and emerging biofuels technology produce a number of wastes and by-products, ranging from corn fiber and glycerin to animal manure, that have the potential to serve as the basis for additional sources of bioenergy that includes both liquid biofuels and biogas. Biofuels from Agricultural Wastes and Byproducts is the first book to focus solely on the production of biofuels primarily from agricultural waste and by-products. The book is divided roughly into two sections. The first section looks at liquid biofuel production from agricultural byproducts, densification of agricultural residues, and the delivery from farm to processing plant of waste and byproducts for use in biofuel production. The second section focuses on anaerobic digestion of food and animal wastes, microbial diversity, molecular and biochemical aspects of methanogensis. Together these sections solidify Biofuels from Agricultural Wastes and Byproducts as a definitive source of information on the use of agricultural waste and by-products in biofuel production.
This book discusses the biorefinery of biomass feedstocks. In-depth chapters highlight the scientific and technical aspects and present a techno-economic analysis of such systems. By using a TEA approach, the authors present feasible pathways for the conversion of biomass (both residual biomass, energy crops, and algae biomass), showing the different possibilities for the production of biochemical materials, biofuels, and fertilizers. The concepts presented in this book will link companies, investors, and governments by providing a framework that will help reduce pollutants and create a biomass-related economy that incorporates the newest developments and technologies in the area.
The increasing deployment of bioenergy frequently raises issues regarding the use of land and raw materials, infrastructure and logistics. In light of these sometimes conflicting interests Advances in Bioenergy provides an objective and wide-ranging overview of the technology, economics and policy of bioenergy. Offering an authoritative multidisciplinary summary of the opportunities and challenges associated with bioenergy utilization, with international researchers give up-to-date and detailed information on key issues for biomass production and conversion to energy. Key features: *Discusses different bioenergy uses such as transportation fuels, electricity and heat production. *Assesses emerging fields such as bio-based chemicals and bio-refineries. *Debates conditions for the mobilization of sustainable bioenergy supply chains and outlines governance systems to support this mobilization. * Dedicated chapters to sustainability governance and emerging tools such as certification systems and standards supporting growth of a sustainable bioenergy industry. *Considers the political, environmental, social and cultural context related to the demand for energy resources, the impact of this demand on the world around us, and the choices and behaviours of consumers. This book will be a vital reference to engineers, researchers and students that need an accessible overview of the bioenergy area. It will also be of high value for politicians, policymakers and industry leaders that need to stay up to date with the state-of-the-art science and technology in this area.
This second volume of Energy Resources and Systems is focused on renewable energy resources. Renewable energy mainly comes from wind, solar, hydropower, geothermal, ocean, bioenergy, ethanol and hydrogen. Each of these energy resources is important and growing. For example, high-head hydroelectric energy is a well established energy resource and already contributes about 20% of the world’s electricity. Some countries have significant high-head resources and produce the bulk of their electrical power by this method. However, the bulk of the world’s high-head hydroelectric resources have not been exploited, particularly by the underdeveloped countries. Low-head hydroelectric is unexploited and has the potential to be a growth area. Wind energy is the fastest growing of the renewable energy resources for the electricity generation. Solar energy is a popular renewable energy resource. Geothermal energy is viable near volcanic areas. Bioenergy and ethanol have grown in recent years primarily due to changes in public policy meant to encourage its usage. Energy policies stimulated the growth of ethanol, for example, with the unintended side effect of rise in food prices. Hydrogen has been pushed as a transportation fuel. The authors want to provide a comprehensive series of texts on the interlinking of the nature of energy resources, the systems that utilize them, the environmental effects, the socioeconomic impact, the political aspects and governing policies. Volume 1 on Fundamentals and Non Renewable Resources was published in 2009. It blends fundamental concepts with an understanding of the non-renewable resources that dominate today’s society. The authors are now working on Volume 3, on nuclear advanced energy resources and nuclear batteries, consists of fusion, space power systems, nuclear energy conversion, nuclear batteries and advanced power, fuel cells and energy storage. Volume 4 will cover environmental effects, remediation and policy. Solutions to providing long term, stable and economical energy is a complex problem, which links social, economical, technical and environmental issues. It is the goal of the four volume Energy Resources and Systems series to tell the whole story and provide the background required by students of energy to understand the complex nature of the problem and the importance of linking social, economical, technical and environmental issues.
Bioenergy from Sustainable Forestry synthesizes information needed to design or implement sustainable forest management systems for production of biomass for energy in conjunction with other forest products. It is organized around the criteria for sustainable forest management: productivity, environment, social issues, economics, and legal and institutional framework. More than 25 international experts from 10 countries have brought together available ecological, physical, operational, social and economic information and identified gaps in knowledge related to biomass production and harvesting systems. This is the first time that such comprehensive information has been brought together under one cover, using an integrated, holistic approach. Guiding principles and state of the art knowledge are emphasized. The book will enable forest resource managers and planners to evaluate the ability of specific forest regions to sustainably meet bioenergy production demands.
As time goes forward, the availability of affordable and accessible petroleum products decreases while the negative environmental impact increases. If we want to sustain our current way of life, which includes massive energy consumption, it is necessary to find alternatives to fossil fuels to prevent fuel shortages and to preserve and repair the environment around us. The Science of Renewable Energy presents a no-nonsense discussion of the importance of renewable energy, while adhering to scientific principles, models, and observations. The text includes in-depth discussions of emerging technologies, including biomass and fuel cells, and major sources of renewable energy, such as ocean, hydro, solar, and wind energy. To provide a fundamental understanding of the basic concepts of renewable energy, the book also offers an extensive discussion on the basics of electricity, since it is applied to and produced from all forms of renewable energy. While emphasizing the technical aspects and practical applications of renewable sources, the text also covers the economic, social, and policy implications of large-scale implementation. The main focus of the book is on methods of obtaining energy from self-replenishing natural processes while limiting pollution of the atmosphere, water, and soil, as this is a critical pathway for the future. Exploring the subject from a scientific perspective highlights the need for renewable energy and helps to evaluate the task at hand. The book is written for a wide range of readers, including students of diverse backgrounds and individuals in the energy industries, and presents the material in a user-friendly manner. Even individuals can have an impact on the quest to develop renewable energy sources. The concepts and guidelines described provide critical scientific rationale for pursuing clean and efficient energy sources as well as the knowledge needed to understand the complex issues involved. Woven with real-life situations, the text presents both the advantages and challenges of the different types of renewable energy.
