Biomass is biological material
derived from living, or recently living organisms. It most often refers to
plants or plant-based materials which are specifically called lignocellulosic
biomass. As an energy source, biomass can either be used directly via
combustion to produce heat, or indirectly after converting it to various forms
of biofuel. Conversion of biomass to biofuel can be achieved by different
methods which are broadly classified into: thermal, chemical, andbiochemical
methods. Wood remains the largest biomass energy source to date; examples
include forest residues (such as dead trees, branches and tree stumps), yard
clippings, wood chips and even municipal solid waste. In the second sense,
biomass includes plant or animal matter that can be converted into fibers or
other industrial chemicals, including biofuels. Industrial biomass can be grown
from numerous types of plantsincluding
miscanthus, switchgrass, hemp, corn, poplar, willow,sorghum, sugarcane, bamboo,
and a variety of tree species, ranging from eucalyptus to oil palm (palm oil).
Bioenergy is renewable energy
made available from materials derived from biological sources. Though wood is
still our largest biomass energy resource, the other sources which can be
utilized include plants, residues from agriculture or forestry, and the organic
component of municipal and industrial wastes. Even the fumes from landfills can
be used as a biomass energy source. Biohydrogen is a potential biofuel
obtainable from both cultivation and from waste organic materials. Though
hydrogen is produced from non-renewable technologies such as steam reformation
of natural gas (~50% of global H2 supply), petroleum refining (~30%) and
gasification of coal (~20%), green algae (including Chlamydomonas reinhardtii)
and cyanobacteria offer an alternative route to renewable H2 production. Steam
reforming of methane (biogas) produced by anaerobic digestion of organic waste,
can be utilized for biohydrogen as well.
Bioplastics are any plastic material that is either biobased, biodegradable,
or features both properties. They are derived from renewable biomass sources,
such as vegetable fats and oils, corn starch, or microbiota. Bioelectricity is
the production of electric potentials and currents within/by living organisms.
Bioelectric potentials are generated by a variety of biological processes and
generally range in strength from one to a few hundred millivolts.
The global market for Biogas
production equipment like anaerobic digesters and landfill gas equipment is
estimated at nearly $4.5 billion for 2013. The market is projected to reach $7
billion by 2018 growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.4% over
the five-year period from 2013 to 2018.
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Sustainable Feedstock Development
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Bioenergy Supply Management Strategies
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National Bioenergy programmers: Economic,
Political and Social issues
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Carbon Energy
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Next Generation Renewable Energy Technologies
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Bioenergy Applications
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Processes for Bioenergy
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Bioenergy Transition
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Bioenergy Conversion
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Bio-plastics: Types and Uses
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Bioelectricity Production
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Bio-hydrogen Production
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Waste Biomass to Energy
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Industrial Waste Biomass
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Biomass and Electricity