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The effect of climate change on current life is becoming more visible daily. Our capacity to be resilient to these changes is an act of responsibility for the future. Several directions could serve this purpose. The present study aims to determine the current state of the art in unconventional energy sources. Mainly, the focus will be on biomass. Biopower sources are an element of renewable energy alternatives, along with solar, wind, tide, wave, ocean, and geothermal. The statistics underline an increasing trend of these resource contributions to the total power input. The paper aims to determine the benefits of utilizing biomass as a renewable energy alternative. The key characteristics of such an approach will be examined, emphasizing their advantages and the potential for enhancing performance. There were limitations in accessing valuable information from the field. Through it, biomass-type resources present an increased interest due to their particular property to act in a double sense, unlike the other non-traditional ones. The extent of their application will be ascertained based on the available data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a view of the sustainable development principles, the development of advanced lowcarbon building materials represents one of the most important issues in the construction industry. To follow the current trends in research and development of building materials, special attention is paid to the reuse of all kinds of waste and industrial byproducts. One of the serious problems of today's society is the huge production of sewage sludge from waste water treatment and its disposal. As one of the promising ways of sewage sludge disposal is incineration, there is a need to study biomass ash, its environmental hazards and further use in industrial applications. In this paper, the heavy metal contamination of biomass ash is analysed together with its chemical and phase composition, reactivity, microstructure and morphology. As the biomass ash was found to be pozzolana active, it was admixed to cement mortar, and the structural and mechanical parameters of this material were tested. The use of biomass had no negative effect on the properties of the cement mortar. Since the content of heavy metals in the biomass ash was safely below the valid limits, and the water-soluble salts were immobilised in the blended cement matrix, the biomass ash studied was classified among the alternative low-carbon pozzolans applicable in the development of eco- and energy-efficient construction products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air pollution caused by biomass burning is the main environmental concern in Mozambique. This paper investigates the effect of biomass combustion on air quality, focusing on the sources of pollution, pollutants released, and health and environmental consequences. The substantial reliance on biomass for cooking, heating, and energy generation causes high levels of air pollution from the combustion of wood, agricultural residues, and charcoal. During biomass burning, particulate matter (PM), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) are emitted, resulting in health hazards and contributing to climate change. Mozambique can considerably improve air quality, safeguard public health, and contribute to sustainable development by using cleaner cooking technology, supporting sustainable biomass management practices, and raising awareness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

About three billion people across the globe are relying on biomass to fulfil their day-to-day domestic energy requirements by using as fuel in traditional open fires and technically inefficient stoves. Emission from biomass cookstoves leads to serious health hazards along with contributing to global warming and environmental pollution to a larger extent. Various testing methods are being used by researchers for quantifying the emission characteristics of biomass cookstoves and several technical aspects are adopted to reduce hazardous emission. The current paper provides a comprehensive review on emission behaviour of various biomass cookstoves used in different regions of world. The review emphasizes several pollutants emitted from different biomass cookstoves, various emission performance evaluation methods adopted by researchers to quantify emissions, and technical concepts and principles implemented by researcher community to reduce emission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the global situation, it is necessary for an industrial company to integrate production scheduling and traceability planning, in a way to get more reliable stand and to make economics advantages. This paper presents biomass supply chain company which could produce a renewable energy. Traceability is a tracking requirement to check whether the quality of the product is satisfied. The supply chain of biomass planning problem aims to meet customer demand subject to traceability and other restrictions. The problem is modelled as a mixed integer linear program, and then it is solved using neighborhood search approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the production capacity and density of biomass pellets from oil palm trunk (OPT) material have been investigated by using a portable biomass pellet molding machine. Biomass pellet capacity and density were measured by variations of roller press speed, die plate thickness and roller press width. Roller press speed was with three variations from 100 rpm to 140 rpm, die plate thickness was from 20 mm to 30 mm, and roller press width was from 25 mm to 27 mm. The experimental data was then processed statistically using the response surface method. The production capacity of OPT biomass pellet is significantly influenced by dying plate thickness on a portable biomass pellet molding machine, while OPT biomass pellet density is determined experimentally by roller press speed. In addition, the production capacity, which can be achieved by the biomass pellet molding machine was 49.5 kg/h, while the density of the biomass pellet produced was 1.3 g/cm3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomass has been used as a fuel mixed with coal in power plants, but biomass has a big challenge because it has chlorine contents that may affect the potential corrosion in the CFPP combustion. This paper aims to convey the chlorine and sulfur content of various mines of Indonesia Coal. The value will be compared to other countries coal and then calculated blended with various biomass to obtain the limitation of chlorine and sulfur content in coals for co-firing. Materials obtained from various mines in Indonesia are used, coals from another country and biomass are used from secondary data. The chlorine content of Indonesia coal is around 0.010% to 0.020%, and from several foreign coals is higher than Indonesia coal, which the value of the highest chlorine contents from Australia and China each 0.159 % and 0.183%, while almost of all biomass have the chlorine content higher than coal. The highest chlorine content is PKS and SRF, which have values of 0.528% and 0.875%. Blending Indonesia coal with various types of biomass shows that the chlorine and sulfur value are still low-risk corrosion potential except for blending composition 20% and 25% with SRF is increased to moderate risk potential [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The outstanding performance and low residue level of the co-current reactor gasifier make it a viable approach. Although it can only be used for low moisture biomass, and improvements are required by integrating adjustments in reactor configuration, feeding method, equivalence ratio, air supply method, and gasification temperature, biomass feeding rate, recirculation methodology and co-gasification. This paper aims to review the co-current gasifier for biomass gasification that emphasizes on design enhancements and their impact on the co-current gasifier efficiency. Overall overview reveals that apart from biomass characteristics and operation parameters, the gasifier configuration is a vital parameter in gasification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pharmaceuticals are emerging contaminants that potentially harm the environment as well as human health. Paracetamol is a common analgesic drug often detected in wastewater and surface water. The efficacy of wild algal biomass as an adsorbent to remove paracetamol from aqueous solutions was examined in this paper. Adsorption of paracetamol was carried out using three different algal biomass modification methods namely non-modified algal biomass, alkaline modified algal biomass, and acidic modified algal biomass. The paracetamol biosorption was studied through batch experiments at 30 °C, agitation speed of 150 rpm at pH of 6.8 during 120 min reaction time. The highest removal up to 63.56% and adsorption capacity of 32.56 mg/g was obtained using non-modified biomass. Overall, the results obtained suggest that wild algae biomass is a promising biosorbent for the removal of pharmaceuticals from water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper assesses wood as a valuable raw material for the production of building, finishing, insulating materials and fuel. An analysis was made of the production activities of one of the timber enterprises of the Angara-Yenisei region and the portfolio of marketable products produced by it for the period from 2017 to 2021. An assessment is made of the dynamics of changes in production volumes and the cost of fibreboard, lumber and pellets over 5 years. The influence of the average distance of cargo transportation, the pace of housing construction in Russia, the volume of production in the furniture industry, the growth of the global economy, restrictions on the export of products to the European market caused by both the spread of coronavirus infection and the foreign political situation in the world on the production volumes of wood processing enterprises, its cost is described. and demand. In order to improve the timber industry enterprise, the need to ensure an optimal balance of production and consumption of wood biomass by means of improving the portfolio of manufactured products is substantiated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some of the main environmental problems of today's society are the continuous increase of the amount of organic residues and the consumption of conventional (non-renewable) energy. One way to address these issues is through the processing of this residues and the production of biogas. Anaerobic digestion is considered to be the optimal treatment for various types of agricultural and wood biomass and for a wide variety of organic residues suitable for this purpose, these substrates being thus transformed into recoverable energy and organic fertilizer for agriculture. Anaerobic digestion is a microbiological process of decomposition of organic matter, in the absence of oxygen, applied on a large scale for the production of renewable energy. The paper presents a series of considerations on obtaining biogas through anaerobic digestion from agricultural biomass, wood, energy crops and food waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global warming necessitates a replacement of traditional technologies based on fossil fuels. The number of options is rather limited. Renewable energies will play a dominant role in this process. Whereas biomass and hydro-electricity are limited, wind and photovoltaic power (PV) can be upscaled to large capacities. The technical side of CO2-free technologies has been covered in the bulk of these proceedings. In this paper, we concentrate on the main characteristics of an electricity system based mostly on wind and PV power and the consequences of integrating intermittent technologies. Most practical examples are taken from Germany. The question whether nuclear power can be considered as clean electricity source supplementing renewable energies will be discussed. Nuclear power will still play a role in 2050 and beyond in and outside of Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of biomass through co-combustion technology in industry and coal-fired power plants (CFPP) is being tested intensively. Biomass can replace 5-10% of coal capacity in CFPP and results in massive demand for biomass supply availability. Biomass from agricultural residues has excellent energy potential, with a theoretically convertible biomass energy value of 682,771 GW. However, the difference between agricultural residue biomass characteristics and coal causes a disadvantage in power generation, such as power de-rating. The process of converting agricultural residue biomass into solid fuel with coal equivalent characteristics needs to be carried out so that substitution of coal to biomass or with co-combustion technology can be implemented. This paper discusses the potential of agricultural residue biomass and methods of converting agricultural residues biomass into solid fuels for co-combustion technology. From the results of this study, it was discussed that the conversion technology commonly used in agricultural residue biomass is torrefaction (either wet or dry torrefaction). To optimize the conversion process of agricultural residues biomass into coal equivalent solid fuel, it is suggested a combination of conversion technology (multi-process) to be applied and used for processing several types of biomass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve the socio-economic development of any nation, such factors as the amount and type of energy resources available, conversion and extraction pathways employed, the rate of utilization and sustainability must be addressed appropriately. Nigeria is one of the developing countries that is lagging in that regard because of poor and disrupted investment in the energy sector irrespective of its enormous energy resources. Nigeria has enormous potential in both fossil fuels and renewable energy sources. Some of these renewable sources include hydropower, solar energy, wind power, biomass and geothermal energy. In this paper, the focus is on biomass energy because it is one of the sustainable renewable energy sources with high extraction potentials, due to the vast arable land and favourable climatic conditions in Nigeria. The biomass resources found in Nigeria include agricultural resources, forest resources, aquatic biomass, and waste. These resources are capable of generating about 2.33 EJ of energy and about 144 million tonnes in mass, yearly, which can be harnessed through some pathways such as thermochemical, physio-chemical, and biochemical, for heating or cooling, electricity generation, and as fuel for transportation. Some authors argued that the utilization of the available landmass for the production of biomass resources poses a great threat to food security in Nigeria. However, this challenge can be offset by enhancing the existing agricultural practices to improve the quality of yield without tampering with the quantity of food produced. Biomass is reliable, cost-effective, sustainable, and has the capacity to create both direct and indirect jobs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cell factory is the most important machinery for bioproduct. Yeast cell is known as the most productive machinery for ethanol production regarding its robustness toward high concentration of ethanol in the environment. However, it is become challenging when using lignocellulosic hydrolysate as raw material. For ethanol production, fermentation process depends on its cell's vitality under stress condition by ethanol accumulation in the environment. Furthermore, ethanol production using lignocellulosic hydrolysate undergo various challenges against inhibitory chemical complex such as 2-furaldehyde (furfural), 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), syringaldehyde, and vanillin coupled with some cell membrane-permeative acids, such as acetic acid, formic acid, and a small fraction of levulinic acid. Yeast cell maintains its survival on the stress condition by modification of its the genes regulation. Several considerations should be sought to engineered yeast as cell factory for ethanol production using lignocellulosic hydrolysate. This paper will discuss yeast survival mechanism toward its product and lignocellulosic hydrolysate environment, inhibitors effect to yeast cell, and gene regulation toward lignocellulosic hydrolysate for bioethanol production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve the socio-economic development of any nation, such factors as the amount and type of energy resources available, conversion and extraction pathways employed, the rate of utilization and sustainability must be addressed appropriately. Nigeria is one of the developing countries that is lagging in that regard because of poor and disrupted investment in the energy sector irrespective of its enormous energy resources. Nigeria has enormous potential in both fossil fuels and renewable energy sources. Some of these renewable sources include hydropower, solar energy, wind power, biomass and geothermal energy. In this paper, the focus is on biomass energy because it is one of the sustainable renewable energy sources with high extraction potentials, due to the vast arable land and favourable climatic conditions in Nigeria. The biomass resources found in Nigeria include agricultural resources, forest resources, aquatic biomass, and waste. These resources are capable of generating about 2.33 EJ of energy and about 144 million tonnes in mass, yearly, which can be harnessed through some pathways such as thermochemical, physio-chemical, and biochemical, for heating or cooling, electricity generation, and as fuel for transportation. Some authors argued that the utilization of the available landmass for the production of biomass resources poses a great threat to food security in Nigeria. However, this challenge can be offset by enhancing the existing agricultural practices to improve the quality of yield without tampering with the quantity of food produced. Biomass is reliable, cost-effective, sustainable, and has the capacity to create both direct and indirect jobs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the results of evaluating the effect of different concentrations (2.5, 5.0, 7.5, and 10.0%) of biochar from birch wood on the growth parameters of Phacelia tanacetifolia Benth. in model pots. The addition of biochar to the soil in most cases had a positive effect on growth parameters (root and shoot length and biomass, leaf area) of P. tanacetifolia. The best results were observed when biochar was added in concentrations of 7.5% whereas least effect – at 2.5%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomass briquettes are alternative fuels, which offer a solution to fossil energy, which is depleting its availability. Sources of biomass waste to be used as briquettes can be obtained from the forestry sector, agricultural sector, and industry. The process of making briquettes from biomass waste can be categorized as relatively easy. Fresh biomass raw materials are used; it usually requires drying first and then entering the carbonation stage, mixing biomass with binder, printing, drying, and testing the quality of the resulting briquette products. Several factors affect the quality of biomass briquettes as a fuel depending on the type and nature of the binder used during preparation and the selected process. There are various types of binder available, classified into an organic binder, an inorganic binder, and a mixed binder. Most performance-related problems such as low test results and energy content can be significantly improved with a binder in the proper proportions. The calorific value of briquettes can be used as one of the parameters in the form of efficiency produced from the briquette product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decarbonising the EU's energy system is crucial to reach the 2030 climate objectives and the EU's long-term strategy of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. Based on these Green Deal goals and the current energy situation in Europe, it is highly important to focus on biofuel energy sources. Our research deals with the behaviour of households in the Czech Republic and changes in their consumption habits in the last decades. The main goal of this paper is to evaluate the development of the consumption of biofuels by households for heating purposes, in comparison with the consumption of fossil solid fuels (coal and coke) in the Czech Republic in the period 2010 - 2020. The second goal is to evaluate the influence of selected socioeconomic aspects/variables on the consumption of biofuels. Regarding biofuels, the analysis will focus on biomass for heating purposes, such as firewood, wood waste, pellets, and briquettes. Concerning socio-economic indicators, the analysis will be based on various data, such as GDP per capita, average wage, environmental taxation, environmental subsidies, etc. The authors will work with data published by the Czech Statistical Office, ministries, and other national authorities, as well as data from Eurostat. As a methodology, correlation and regression analysis will be used. The results will show the possible influence of selected socio-economic variables on the development of biofuel consumption by households. The recommendations will be formulated based on the obtained results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy and biochar (BCH) are produced from vegetable biomass, with thermo-chemical processes, without residues and with negative CO2 emissions. Quality BCH with molar ratios O/H <0.2 and H/C < 0.2 contains at least 40% of biomass carbon, has 33% of input energy, is porous with a specific surface area of 150 – 400 m2/g.bc and has many non-energy uses. BCH with 10% moisture can be stored long-term as a carbon and energy stock. BCH as an agricultural amendment cheaply sequesters CO2 in the long term and ensures increased horticultural production. A stock of BCH ensures the production of cheap electricity and heat, when and as much as needed, with zero or negative CO2 emissions, without or with low-capacity electric storage. Low-volatile BCH gasified in miniCHP unit produces electricity with 30% efficiency and thermal energy with 56%. For a CO2 emission below zero, a maximum of 70% of the biochar produced is gasified. From the gasification of BCH with O2 and H2O, gas.bc is obtained as a cheap substitute for natural gas for local use in smart hybrid energy mini-grids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the paper is to present a mathematical model that reflects the deleterious effect of illegal logging on forest biomass. In the model formulation, it is considered that the nutrients present in the soil helps to grow forestry biomass and on the other side, the forestry biomass is subjected to harvesting as a consequence of efforts are applied for industrial growth. From conservation perspective, in model formulation, the maximum extension of industries is observed in the presence of alternatives. The taxation scheme is also imposed on the industries as a control measure for conserving the forestry biomass. The model dynamics is analyzed using differential equation theory. During the study instability in the system is observed if the illegal logging of forestry biomass increases by a threshold. Instability in the system is shown by a particular set of parametric values. Bio- Economic equilibrium is obtained for the system under study. Pontryagin's principle is used to obtain the criteria for optimal tax policy. Analytical results are carried out in numerical simulation section to support the analytical findings using hypothetical data. Finally, sensitivity analysis of the hypothetical parameter is performed to show the behavior around interior equilibrium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence of nitrate concentration in drinking water can cause high toxicity to the human body, being considered among the most important pollutant in the environment. Among the many methods available such as biological treatment, electrodialysis, reverse osmosis, adsorption, ion exchange, adsorption is the most used technique due to its low cost and simplistic design. Therefore, the aim of this paper was to study the retention of nitrate anion from high concentration aqueous solutions on a novel magnetic adsorbent obtained by pyrolysis of de-oiled microalgal biomass. The prepared adsorbent was characterized by textural analysis (specific surface area, pore volume, average pore diameter, pore size distribution), FT-IR and TGA techniques. The influence of nitrate concentration, pH, retention time and adsorbent mass were evaluated. The equilibrium adsorption data were fitted to three isotherms, namely Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin. The equilibrium isotherms indicate a pH-dependent behavior, characterized by Temkin model at pH=7 and Freundlich model at pH = 9, respectively. In order to estimate the nitrate removal efficiency multiple linear regressions and artificial neural networks were investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In India, Napier Grass (Pennisetum Perpurium) cultivation is a normal practice and it is widely used as cattle feed. In the current research study, the Napier Grass was cultivated to use as a Biomass [1] sample for experimentation. The ultimate aim was to observe the feasibility of processing of Napier Grass samples at different maturation stages in the bio refineries. Napier Grass is abundantly available but using it as a raw material in bio-refineries is still an overlooked area in the Indian continent. Experimentation has been carried out to examine the variation in the Moisture, Lignin, and Ash contents [2], [3] in the Napier Grass at different harvesting ages of 2, 4, 6 and 8 months. Significant changes concerning to the Moisture, Lignin, and Ash contents at different ages of the Napier Grass were observed. The maturity period of the Napier Grass to use it as a bioenergy crop, was the deciding parameter of the juice characteristics [(Table A.1]. India is supposed to be an ideal geographical location for the Napier Grass cultivation due to suitable climatic conditions, soil quality, and availability of water resources for the cultivation of grass, green processing [18], and an ideal testing site to set up the bio refinery units as well. An experimental study at a pilot level had been explored and evaluated with the technologies before initiating the commercial production at large-scale. The cultivation of the Napier Grass at different maturation stages has been carried out first time at Nagpur, a centrally located place in the state of Maharashtra in India. The samples of Napier Grass cultivated at different ages of 2, 4, 6, and 8 months had been taken into the experimentation process. The samples were sent to a commercial laboratory following NREL standard norms for Moisture, Lignin, and Ash compositional [2], [3] analyses for further interpretation. It has also attracted attention to find the scope for optimal biofuel generation from Napier Grass used as a Biomass with better strategies, economic and feasible technologies as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drying is one of the ways of long-term preservation of vegetables and fruits for industrialization or direct consumption without added preservatives. Throughout the year, there is a wide availability and diversity of fruits, vegetables, or medicinal plants that can be preserved by drying. To the costs of harvesting and drying one needs to add those of handling and transport, which are sometimes quite high; therefore, it is preferable to move the drying machines to the harvesting site of the products to be dried. Most of the time, these sites are isolated and do not have access to the electricity network; this raises the issue of energy independence of the drying facilities, i.e. the production of thermal and electrical energy from local resources around the harvesting points. The work presents an energy-independent drying machine that uses a Top-LitUp-Draft (TLUD) type hot air generator fed with wood chips for the production of thermal energy, and for the automation system the power supply is made from a 12V DC battery charged from photovoltaic panels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomass-based pyrolysis is raising a growing interest nowadays because it can alleviate the pollution of biomass wastes and provide a supply of bio-energy, bio-fuels, and chemicals. Oil palm biomass wastes are the most widely available and promising candidate feedstocks in Malaysia. The disposal of these wastes in a friendly environmental way is a challenging task. In this work, three types of oil palm biomass wastes-empty fruit bunch (EFB), palm kernel shell (PKS), and palm mesocarp fiber (PMF)-are examined. In literature, kinetic-based models promise to be accurate for simulation purposes; however, they are computationally intensive, and it is applicable only when kinetic data are available for the specific feedstock and pyrolysis equipment, while in this study, it is considering that the pyrolysis reactor is under the thermodynamic equilibrium. This study is aimed to develop a steady-state model to simulate the pyrolysis of oil palm biomass wastes and to predict the effects of the main operating conditions on the production yields. The details of the proximate and ultimate analyses of the oil palm biomass wastes were applied as input parameters in the model. The specific yields from the pyrolysis process depend on operating conditions such as pyrolysis temperature, pressure, feed flow rate, and inert gas flow rate to maximize outputs. Simulation results showed that all the oil palm biomass wastes displayed a high bio-syngas yield (50.17-52.68%), a moderate bio-char yield (31.77-35.56%), however a low bio-oil yield (14.27-15.55%) at standard pyrolysis conditions. From the results, it can be inferred that the EFB is best suited for bio-syngas and bio-oil generation, whereas the PMF is appropriate for bio-char production. It is hoped that the current simulation model outcomes will be useful in determining the optimal values of the operating conditions of the pyrolysis process and helpful in the selection of feedstocks for bio-energy generation through pyrolysis process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Torrefaction is a process where biomass is converted to solid biofuel that can be sustainably used for energy generation to produce syngas. Limited information was found for a system with the combination of torrefaction and gasification. Therefore, a study by using a thermodynamic tool was conducted to study the best conditions of such system for empty fruit bunch (EFB). Four case studies were conducted for air gasification with and without torrefaction as Cases 1 and 2 respectively, steam gasification with and without torrefaction as Cases 3 and 4 respectively with varying equivalence ratio (ER), and steam-to-biomass (S/B) ratio applied in a process simulation model that is thermodynamic-based. It was found that the best case is Case 3 which increases the syngas concentration and higher heating value (HHV) by 4% and 0.4%, respectively, compared to Case 1. Therefore, steam gasification with torrefaction is the best method for syngas production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing global demand for renewable energy and the pressing need for environmental sustainability have led to a growing interest in bioenergy production as a viable solution. Concurrently, advancements in machine learning (ML) techniques have opened up new opportunities for optimizing processes and improving efficiency across various sectors. Recognizing the potential of integrating ML with bioenergy, this study aims to explore the synergistic applications of these technologies to enhance environmental sustainability. Through a comprehensive assessment, which includes a systematic review and case study analysis, this research investigates the potential of ML algorithms and models in optimizing bioenergy processes and bioproduct production. By leveraging ML techniques, bioenergy processes can be refined and fine-tuned, leading to increased efficiency, reduced waste, and enhanced environmental performance. The systematic review component of this study critically examines existing literature on the integration of ML and bioenergy, identifying key trends, challenges, and opportunities. The case study component of this study provides a detailed analysis of the integration of ML and bioenergy in one case: the production of biomethane from municipal solid waste (MSW) in Mukono District, Uganda. Ultimately, this study's findings will provide valuable insights and recommendations for policymakers, researchers, and industry stakeholders. The insights gained will help harness the full potential of ML in advancing the field of bioenergy, while simultaneously achieving sustainable energy production. By identifying critical factors influencing the successful integration of ML and bioenergy, this research contributes to the broader objective of addressing environmental concerns and ensuring a sustainable future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This abstract presents the key findings and implications of a systematic literature review and cross-case analysis on supply chain mapping studies and the drivers and barriers for residual agroforestry biomass valorization. The key findings emphasize the importance of supportive government policies, socio-economic benefits, market acceptance, financial challenges, and stakeholder empowerment. Supportive policies incentivize biomass valorization, while job creation and rural development drive socio-economic benefits. Market pressure for conventional products and limited financial support present barriers. Empowering stakeholders, such as farmers and industry associations, is crucial for fair pricing practices. Decision-makers can utilize this research to make informed decisions and develop strategies. It highlights the need for supportive policies, market acceptance, and financial support to enhance the viability of residual biomass valorization projects. It also emphasizes the importance of addressing market demand for traditional products and limited financial support mechanisms. Stakeholder empowerment through knowledge-sharing and collaboration improves their bargaining power. Understanding the drivers and barriers aids in addressing financial challenges, creating supportive policies, promoting market acceptance, optimizing material flows, addressing transportation costs, and enhancing stakeholder bargaining power. This research contributes to the development of sustainable and efficient biomass valorization processes that benefit the environment and society as a whole. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioenergy production from biomass through thermochemical conversion is an emerging technological advancement that can offset the use of petroleum products and reduce greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions. This study investigated the potentiality of peat (partially decayed organic matter) called 2nd generation biomass as a bioenergy resource. The proximate analysis results showed that peat contained 48.4 (wt%) volatile matter, 21.1 (wt%) fixed carbon, and 20.3 (wt%) ash. The higher heating value (HHV) obtained 14.84 MJ/kg by using a bomb calorimeter. The elemental compositions and HHV of peat were determined by correlations using proximate analysis data, and results demonstrated that peat comprised 33.2 (wt%) carbon, 3.9 (wt%) hydrogen, 29.1 (wt%) oxygen, and HHV of 14.63 MJ/kg. The rapid analytical characterization tools Fourier Transform Infrared Reflectance (FTIR) spectroscopy was used in this study to quickly assess the presence of functional groups, chemical components in peat biomass. The results revealed that the broad and strong absorption peaks present in the range of 2800 cm−1-3000 cm−1 due to C-H stretching that suggested the presence of long-chain aliphatic hydrocarbons also the presence of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin in peat biomass. The absorption peak in the range of 1050 cm−1–1100 cm−1 due to C-O stretching vibrations indicated the presence of alcohols and phenolic compounds in biomass. In addition, absorption peaks between 1600 cm−1–1800 cm−1 marked as C=O stretch vibrations stated the presence of carboxylic acids, aldehydes, ketones, and esters compounds. FTIR can also identify the biomacromolecules (lipid, protein, carbohydrate) in different spectra ranges. The area under the amide II band (C-N) in the range of 1540 cm−1–1550 cm−1 indicated the presence of protein. The area in a range of 2800 cm−1-3000 cm−1 confirmed lipid content region in the range of 1000 cm−1–1200 cm−1 identified the presence of carbohydrate content in biomass. The overall assessment confirmed that peat is suitable biomass enriched with biochemical compositions, energy value, and chemical compounds. Thus, peat might be used as raw materials for thermochemical conversion to produce biofuels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biofuels are currently produced from biomass via a very slow geological mechanism similar to that used to create fossil fuels. Even if the problem of dangerous gaseous emissions to the environment can be addressed, these fossil fuel sources will be depleted in the next decades. As a result, there is indeed a compelling must to find a viable replacement to fossil fuels now. However, biofuels can be good alternatives which are environmentally friendly, renewable and biodegradable. On the other hand, making use of low-cost waste material to produce the raw materials needed to make these fuels is critical. The focus of this research is to construct a selected overview of recent improvements on biofuels production via trans-esterification in order to expand on the recent findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hot compressed water is recently used as a pre-treatment of biomass with many utilization. On renewable energy field, the HCW has been implemented to degrade the wasted biomass, another utilization is to recover nutrients from agricultural biomass. One of the influence of HCW treatment is the ion released from the biomass. The objective of this study is identifying the effect of temperature and holding time of HCW treatment on the ion released by the wasted biomass. Some selected ions are sodium (Na+), potassium (K+), Phosphate (PO43-) and Ammonia (NH4+). The HCW temperature of this study are 130, 150 and 180 degree Celsius with the holding time for 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120 minutes. After the treatment, the ion of the samples are measured using ion chromatograph. The result shows that the high temperature HCW achieved high Sodium and Potassium ion released. While low phosphate and ammonia gained at temperature 130oC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing global demand for renewable energy and the pressing need for environmental sustainability have led to a growing interest in bioenergy production as a viable solution. Concurrently, advancements in machine learning (ML) techniques have opened up new opportunities for optimizing processes and improving efficiency across various sectors. Recognizing the potential of integrating ML with bioenergy, this study aims to explore the synergistic applications of these technologies to enhance environmental sustainability. Through a comprehensive assessment, which includes a systematic review and case study analysis, this research investigates the potential of ML algorithms and models in optimizing bioenergy processes and bioproduct production. By leveraging ML techniques, bioenergy processes can be refined and fine-tuned, leading to increased efficiency, reduced waste, and enhanced environmental performance. The systematic review component of this study critically examines existing literature on the integration of ML and bioenergy, identifying key trends, challenges, and opportunities. The case study component of this study provides a detailed analysis of the integration of ML and bioenergy in one case: the production of biomethane from municipal solid waste (MSW) in Mukono District, Uganda. Ultimately, this study's findings will provide valuable insights and recommendations for policymakers, researchers, and industry stakeholders. The insights gained will help harness the full potential of ML in advancing the field of bioenergy, while simultaneously achieving sustainable energy production. By identifying critical factors influencing the successful integration of ML and bioenergy, this research contributes to the broader objective of addressing environmental concerns and ensuring a sustainable future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study evaluates the influence of the static compaction pressure applied during the casting process on Carbonated Reactive Magnesia Cement-based mortars. For this purpose, mortars, embodying biomass fly ash as filler, were designed and moulded through static compaction pressures of 10, 30, 50, and 70 MPa. The moulded specimens were submitted to an accelerated carbonation curing period of 24 h under controlled conditions. The devised mortars were evaluated through compressive strength tests, and their microstructure was assessed through Mercury Intrusion Porosimetry (MIP), Thermogravimetry and Derivative Thermogravimetry (TG-DTG), and Fourier-transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analyses. The results showed that the increment in the static compaction pressure during the specimens' casting process not only led the mortars to reduce their porosity by up to ~30% and increase their compressive strength by up to ~58% (from 19.8 MPa to 31.2 MPa) but also that such a change seems to hinder the CO2 diffusion into the specimens' core, thus resulting in a lower content of carbonated products. In addition, the MIP analyses demonstrated that the static compaction pressure applied in the mortar casting process changes the pores' characteristics, while TG-DTG and FTIR analyses provided evidence that the devised mortars were carbonated to a certain degree. Therefore, this work demonstrated that Carbonated Reactive Magnesia Cement-based mortars are highly influenced by the static compaction pressure applied during the casting process, at least up to a certain value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study explores the impacts of pesticide usage and burned biomass on the ecological footprints in OECD countries. Based on 500 panel observations from 25 sample OECD countries during the period of 2000 to 2019, the study applies panel data regression approch. The panel data regression models are estimated by pooled OLS method in one way and fixed effects with Driscoll-Kraay standard errors method in other way. The latter method is a robust method of capturing heteroskesedasticity and autocorrelation. In both estimations, the results find that pesticide usage and burned biomass have positive and significant impacts on the ecological footprints of OECD countries but in particular pesticide usage has stronger effect in Driscoll-Kraay standard errors approach and less in pooled OLS method. This means that both variables increase the PM2.5 concentration in OECD countries and cause climate change. Therefore, organic pest-resistant techniques and the use of residual biomass as feedstock could be the possible solutions to improve ecological footprints in OECD countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomass energy dates back to the beginnings of human civilization and is one of the most important resources to meet the daily energy requirements for many people in developing countries. Biomass gasification is an important branch of heat production, electricity or biofuels. With the help of the TLUD gasification process, applied to heating systems or for cooking, thermal energy and biochar can be produced, contributing to the reduction of deforestation pressure, to the improvement of soil productivity and to a sustainable development. The article presents experimental tests on the influence of the speed of the combustion air (secondary air) on the energy efficiency of a laboratory testing equipment, of gaseous type TLUD. The results show a substantial increase in the temperature in the flame in case of increasing the flow of combustion air and its speed by 30% compared to the ratio of 1/3 recommended in other scientific articles on this topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This population growth in Indonesia has an impact on the needs of various sectors such as electricity, construction and food. These three sectors are closely related to sustainable use contained in agriculture waste such as rice, oil palm and sugar cane. Rice production in Indonesia has reached 55.16 million tons, palm oil production reached 49.11 million tons and sugar cane reached 2.41 million tons. However, these products also contain biomass waste with a percentage of 22% rice husk, 6.5% palm kernel shell and 32% bagasse. The amount of waste reaches 16 million tons in the form of biomass. However, until now this waste has not been utilized properly, even though this waste has tremendous potential, namely as a pozzolanic material in powder form (ash) through a high temperature combustion process containing silica (Si) and alumina (Al) so that it can become a supplementary cementitious material (SCMs). Therefore, integration is needed between the potential for pozzolanic biomass waste and a Biomass Power Plant. This is in line with government programs that target the implementation of clean energy. Based on the calculation results, rice husks can produce electricity of 9708.16 GWh, 3256.66 GWh of palm shells, and 61.96 GWh of bagasse. Based on these results, if the three biomasses are integrated, it can be substituted for coal as fuel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forest management and forest operations planning are complex topics requiring a holistic approach combining knowledge of the domain, optimization and simulation approaches, weather forecasting models, and state-of-the-art technology. Our research focuses on valuing biomass through more efficient management of its operations. Removing forest residues from piles is essential to mitigate fire risk. On the other hand, it is a way of valuing a by-product which can be used for heating, energy production, and even the production of biomaterials. There is significant variability in the availability of forest residues, biomass demand, and the productivity of operations, particularly in the forest-tobioenergy supply chain. This work proposes a simulation framework to support the decision-making by combining plans generated by a resource allocation model with the analysis of a set of disruptive scenarios generated by discrete event simulation. The model addresses uncertainty in demand and variability in supply, resulting from fires. The obtained results provide essential managerial insights for the case study of a biomass supplier in the central region of Portugal and offer prescriptive recommendations to increase the efficiency and robustness of this chain in response to uncertainty. An extension of the methodology to other sectors appears, therefore, quite promising. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dyes are significant pollutant of our clean water. Adsorption using activated carbon uses lots of energy in the production stage. Thus, it is an expensive choice for contaminant clearance from wastewater. Modification of biomass particles using suitable chemical can produce adsorbent with lower cost. In this study, the Leucaena leucocephala biomass was treated with sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate (SDBS) as an adsorbent for Malachite green uptake from contaminated water. Batch adsorption studies were done to study the effect of various parameters on the adsorption percentage of the prepared adsorbent. The results showed that the optimum values evaluated for each adsorption parameters are 20 ppm for initial adsorbate concentration, 60 minutes contact time, 30 C for solution temperature, pH of 7, adsorbent particle size of 0.425 – 0.5 mm and 0.5 g/L adsorbent dosage. The results showed that SDBS treated Leucaena leucocephala has the potential to be used as a low-cost adsorbent for Malachite green dye from contaminated water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The urgent need for reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions continues to grow. Countries worldwide, including Indonesia, have started investing large amounts of resources into new renewable energy sources. Biomass co-firing can play an important role in achieving these new renewable energy objectives. It has the potential to reduce the potential environmental impacts associated with fossil fuel combustion. In the co-firing process, it is possible to reduce GHG emissions by replacing some coal with biomass during the combustion process. This article aims to identify barriers and drivers in implementing biomass worldwide through a literature review with a bibliometric analysis approach. In addition, this article will investigate the existing co-firing plants in Indonesia with the availability of available biomass resources in the country associated with the barriers that have been successfully identified. This article is very important for the development and utilization of biomass energy to generate recommendations and future strategies for biomass utilization. It is also useful for researchers to select future areas of research. Keywords [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conditions of biotechnology for obtaining enterosorbents based on the modified rhubarb Rhéum Officinále Bail phytopreparation were substantiated. The relationship between changes in the polymer composition of rhubarb, the parameters of its pore structure and adsorption capacity to the two test molecular markers such as albumin and methylene blue, which were used as model organic toxins having protein and non-protein features, were revealed that biotechnology is one of the methods to increasing the adsorption properties of rhubarb biomass which, were realized the original way to use enzymatic catalysis for structural release of polyuronides by controlled splitting of the carbohydrate-protein complex. It was shown that absorption of organic toxins on the obtained enterosorbents may be increased by 2.5...4 times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The possibility of preparation of hybrid nanocomposites based on biomass R. officinále modified with enzymes and montmorillonite was substantiated. The results showed that biomodification allowed the releasing of pectin into the biomass R. officinále structure that then allowed the fixation clay mineral particles onto biomass. It was found that the increase of pore spaces occured at the expense of increasing mesopore spaces up to 99 % which has allowed the increasing of the adsorption capacity of hybrid nanocomposites to albumin and methylene blue up to 181.9 mg g−1 and 165.7 mg g−1 respectively equivalent to 5.3 and 10 times more than adsorption capacityfor initial plant R. officinále. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current global climate changes have resulted in a considerable increase of wildfire risk in the wooded and rugged terrain of Central Dinaric mountain ranges. A sizable quantity of accumulated biomass is suddenly becoming at risk for ignition due to the change in climate patterns. More than half of the wooded areas are inaccessible from ground, leaving aerial firefighting as the only viable option. Any approaches in modern wildfire risk management need to address and improve in three areas: (1) detection of risky areas, (2) development of early-warning systems and (3) adapting methods for aerial firefighting. Detection and prevention of wildfire through the use of satellite and aerial reconnaissance and risk-assessment from various indices (i.e. vegetation stress, biomass accumulation, heating index etc.) are not sufficiently implemented and are used haphazardly, even though many of the tools are readily available in the public domain. The few available and specialized fire-fighting aircraft are stretched thin and insufficient to cover the entire region, so the “multi-role” aircraft are pressed into service often with inexperienced crews and inadequate resources for the tasks on-hand. To conduct a successful fire-fighting mission it is imperative to have access to real-time information, adequate resources for the detection of fires and their suppression as well as specialized approach in the flight organization in/out of the fire-zone and the distribution of re-supply location. A special attention is given to the tasking and management of helicopter operations, which are generally available to most countries in the Central Dinaric belt and are extensively used in aerial firefighting when the situation gets out of control and the risks increase exponentially. By implementing a timely risk assessment, allocation of necessary resources and procedures for training and execution of air-operations, it is possible to reduce the risk while simultaneously increasing efficacy of the firefighting efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The studies using (14C)-labeled tea (Tea Sinensis) biomass have demonstrated that tea biomass is degraded in red (Nitisols Ferralic) and brown forest (Humic Cambisols) soils. The application of manganese sludge and manganese sulfate (MnSO4) in these soils increases the mineralization in both soil taxa evidencing an active participation of Mn ions in the degradation of phenolic substances. When applying manganese sludge and/or MnSO4 to the experimental samples, most of 14CO2 is released during the first 60 days as a result of the labeled tea biomass mineralization. The modification (decrease) of MgCO3 of hydrolysis pH reaction of both, the red (Nitisols Ferralic) and brown forest (Humic Cambisols) soil areas and the addition of manganese sludge and or MnSO4 to them dramatically (almost twice or thrice) increase the tea biomass mineralization rate, which was assessed by quantifying 14CO2. The amount of ash in all test reduces as compared to the reference what can be explained by the chemical properties of organic compounds produced as interim products during the biomass degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]