Lignocellulosic composition and heating value of forest and agricultural biomass: A review

Biomass is available in large quantities and is relatively inexpensive. It includes residues from agricultural production, forestry, and wood processing industries. The renewable energy contained in biomass can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and dependence on fossil fuels, and is a much more environmentally friendly solution as an alternative energy source. The amount of energy that certain biomass can produce depends on the composition of the lignocellulose (lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose), which directly affects the heating value of the biomass. The calorific value of cellulose and hemicellulose is about 18.60 MJ kg-¹, and that of lignin is 22.2 to 28.5 MJ kg-¹, so it is desirable to have the highest possible lignin content in the biomass. The objective of this work was to determine the lignocellulosic composition of forest and agricultural biomass and to determine if this composition affects the heating value of the biomass.