Abdeen Mustafa Omer
The demand for energy continued to outstrip supply and necessitated the development of biomass option. Residues were the most popular forms of renewable energy and currently biofuel production became much promising. Agricultural wastes contained high moisture content and could be decomposed easily by microbes. Agricultural wastes were abundantly available globally and could be converted to energy and useful chemicals by a number of microorganisms. Compost or bio-fertiliser could be produced with the inoculation of appropriated thermophilic microbes which increased the decomposition rate, shortened the maturity period and improved the compost (or bio-fertiliser) quality. The objective of the present research was to promote the biomass technology and involved adaptive research, demonstration and dissemination of results. With a view to fulfill the objective, a massive field survey was conducted to assess the availability of raw materials as well as the present situation of biomass technologies. In the present communication, an attempt had also been made to present an overview of present and future use of biomass as an industrial feedstock for production of fuels, chemicals and other materials. We may conclude from the review paper that biomass technology must be encouraged, promoted, invested, implemented, and demonstrated, not only in urban areas but also in remote rural areas.
Keywords: Biomass resources, agricultural wastes, energy, environment, sustainable development
This Work is presenting at 8th Global Summit and Expo on Pollution Control On August 24-25, 2020 Webinar
The present review article makes an attempt to comprehensively review various aspects of biomass energy sources, environment and sustainable development. This includes all the biomass energy technologies, energy efficiency systems, energy conservation scenarios, energy savings and other mitigation measures necessary to reduce emissions globally. An attempt has been made to review the current literature regarding the ecological, social, cultural and economic impacts of biomass technology. The environmental problems are increasing. Nevertheless, some residues have negative effects and should be treated to preserve a durable environment. Hence, sensibility and legislative text to organise the treatments of industry activities waste should be more reinforced.
At the beginning of the century, the humanity will have to take up an important challenge to establish a sustainable environment and consequently the well being of actual and coming generation. The management of the industrial activities residues is classified urgently in the list of challenge. Since the agro-alimentary industries is growing fast with increased food production in order to realise the food security for growing population. Technological innovations are the support to obtain a final product that can be recycled and used with a minimum of risking.
This study highlights the energy problem and the possible saving that can be achieved through the use of biomass sources energy. Also, this study clarifies the background of the study, highlights the potential energy saving that could be achieved through use of biomass energy source and describes the objectives, approach and scope of the theme. The purpose of this study, however, is to contribute to the reduction of energy consumption in buildings, industry, and agriculture and identify biomass as an environmental friendly
technology able to provide efficient utilisation of energy in the buildings sector, promote using biomass technology applications as an optimum means of heating and cooling. Recent attempts to stimulate alternative energy sources for heating and cooling of buildings has emphasised the utilisation of the bio-energy from agricultural residues, industry wastes, forestry and other renewable energy sources.
There is strong scientific evidence that the average temperature of the earth surface is rising. This was a result of the increased concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2), and other greenhouse gases (GHGs) atmosphere as emitted by fossil fuels burning (Robinson, 2007; Omer, 2008). The global warming will eventually lead to substantial changes in the world climate, which will, in turn, have a major impact on human life and the environment. Energy use can be achieved by minimising the energy demand, by rational energy use, by recovering heat and the use of more green energies. This will lead to fossil fuels emission reduction. This study was a step towards achieving this goal. The adoption of green or sustainable approaches to the way in which society is run is seen as an important strategy in finding a solution to the energy problem. The key factors to reducing and controlling CO2, which is the major contributor to global warming, are the use of alternative approaches to energy generation and the exploration of how these alternatives are used today and may be used in the future as green energy sources. Even with modest assumptions about the availability of land, comprehensive fuel-wood farming programmes offer significant energy, economic and environmental benefits. These benefits would be dispersed in rural areas where they are greatly needed and can serve as linkages for further rural economic development. The nations as a whole would benefit from savings in foreign exchange, from energy security, and socio-economic improvements. With a nine-fold increase in forest plantation cover, the nation resource base would be greatly improved. The non-technical issues, which have recently gained attention, include: (1) Environmental and ecological factors (e.g., carbon sequestration, reforestation and revegetation). (2) Renewables as a CO2 neutral replacement for fossil fuels. (3) Greater recognition of the importance of renewable energy, particularly modern biomass energy carriers, at the policy and planning levels. (4) Greater recognition of the difficulties of gathering good and reliable biomass energy data, and efforts to improve it. (5) Studies on the detrimental health efforts of biomass energy particularly from traditional energy users. There is a need for some further development to suit local conditions, to minimise spares holdings, to maximise interchangeability both of engine parts and of the engine application. Emphasis should be placed on full local manufacture (Abdeen, 2008a).
Energy is an essential factor in development since it stimulates, and supports economic growth and development. Fossil fuels, especially oil and natural gas, are finite in extent, and should be regarded as depleting assets. The efforts are oriented to new energy sources. The clamour all over the world for the need to conserve energy and the environment has intensified as traditional energy resources continue to diminish whilst the environment becomes increasingly degraded. Alternative energy sources can potentially help to fulfill the acute energy demand and sustain economic growth in many regions of the world. Bioenergy is beginning to gain importance in the global climate change fight. The scope for exploiting organic wastes as a source of energy is not limited to direct incineration or refuse-derived fuels burning. Biogas, biofuels and woody biomass are other forms of energy sources that can be derived from organic waste materials. These biomass energy sources have significant potential in the fight against climate change (Abdeen, 2008b).
Conservation of energy and rationing in some form will however have to be practised by most countries, to reduce oil imports and redress balance of payments positions. Meanwhile, the development and the application of nuclear power and some of the traditional solar, wind, biomass and water energy alternatives must be set in hand to supplement what remains of the fossil fuels. The encouragement of greater energy use is an essential development component. In the short-term it requires mechanisms to enable the rapid increase in energy/capita, and in the long term we should be working towards a way of life based on energy efficiency and without the impairment of the environment or of causing safety problems. Such a programme should as far as possible be based on renewable energy resources (Abdeen, 2008c).
Large-scale, conventional, power plant such as hydropower has an important part to play in development. It does not, however, provide a complete solution. There is an important complementary role for the greater use of small scale, rural based-power plants. Such plant can be used to assist development since it can be made locally using local resources, enabling a rapid build-up in total equipment to be made without a corresponding and unacceptably large demand on central funds. Renewable resources are particularly suitable for providing the energy for such equipment and its use is also compatible with the long-term aims.
With a view to fulfill the objective, a massive field survey was conducted to assess the availability of raw materials as well as the present situation of biomass technologies. The data were analysed. Agricultural residues recycling helps to reduce the intensity of use of natural resources, decreases the need for waste disposal, decreases the specific energy consumption in manufacturing and also provides reasonable levels of profits for those in the business.
This article highlights the potential energy saving that could be achieved through use of biomass energy source. It also focuses on the optimisation and improvement of the operation conditions.
In compiling energy consumption data it could be possible to categorise usage according to a number of different schemes:
The aim of any modern biomass energy systems must be:
Bioenergy is energy from the sun stored in materials of biological origin. This includes plant matter and animal waste, known as biomass. Plants store solar energy through photosynthesis in cellulose and lignin, whereas animals store energy as fats. When burned, the above mentioned materials break down and release energy exothermal energy, releasing carbon dioxide (CO2), heat and steam. The by-products of this reaction can be captured and manipulated to create power, commonly called bioenergy. Biomass is considered renewable because the carbon (C) is taken out of the atmosphere and replenished more quickly than the millions of years required for fossil fuels creation. The use of biofuels to replace fossil fuels contributes to a reduction in the overall release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and hence helps to tackle the global warming (Abdeen, 2008d).
The move towards a low-carbon world, driven partly by climate science and partly by the business opportunities it offers, will need the promotion of environmentally friendly alternatives, if an acceptable stabilisation level of atmospheric carbon dioxide is to be achieved. The biomass energy, one of the important options, which might gradually replace the oil in facing the increased demand for oil and may be an advanced period in this century. Any county can depend on the biomass energy to satisfy part of local consumption. Development of biogas technology is a vital component of alternative rural energy programme, whose potential is yet to be exploited. A concerted effect is required by all if this is to be realised. The technology will find ready use in domestic, farming, and small-scale industrial applications. Support biomass research and exchange experiences with countries that are advanced in this field. In the meantime, the biomass energy can help to save exhausting the oil wealth. The diminishing agricultural land may hamper biogas energy development but appropriate technological and resource management techniques will offset the effects.
Even with modest assumptions about the availability of land, comprehensive fuel-wood farming programmes offer significant energy, economic and environmental benefits. These benefits would be dispersed in rural areas where they are greatly needed and can serve as linkages for further rural economic development. The nations, as a whole would benefit from savings in foreign exchange, improved energy security, and socio-economic improvements. With a nine-fold increase in forest – plantation cover, the nation’s resource base would be greatly improved. The international community would benefit from pollution reduction, climate mitigation, and the increased trading opportunities that arise from new income sources. Furthermore, investigating the potential is needed to make use of more and more of its waste. Household waste, vegetable market waste, and waste from the cotton stalks, leather, and pulp; and paper industries can be used to produce useful energy either by direct incineration, gasification, digestion (biogas production), fermentation, or cogeneration. Therefore, effort has to be made to reduce fossil energy use and to promote green energies, particularly in the building sector. Energy use reductions can be achieved by minimising the energy demand, by rational energy use, by recovering heat and the use of more green energies. This study was a step towards achieving that goal. The adoption of green or sustainable approaches to the way in which society is run is seen as an important strategy in finding a solution to the energy problem. The key factors to reducing and controlling CO2, which is the major contributor to global warming, are the use of alternative approaches to energy generation and the exploration of how these alternatives are used today and may be used in the future as green energy sources. Even with modest assumptions about the availability of land, comprehensive fuel-wood farming programmes offer significant energy, economic and environmental benefits. These benefits would be dispersed in rural areas where they are greatly needed and can serve as linkages for further rural economic development. The nations as a whole would benefit from savings in foreign exchange, improved energy security, and socio-economic improvements. With a nine-fold increase in forest – plantation cover, a nation’s resource base would be greatly improved. The international community would benefit from pollution reduction, climate mitigation, and the increased trading opportunities that arise from new income sources.
References
Abdeen, M. O. (2008a). Renewable building energy systems and passive human comfort solutions. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 12(6), 1562-1587.
Abdeen, M. O. (2008b). People, power and pollution. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 12(7), 1864-1889.
Abdeen, M. O. (2008c). Energy, environment and sustainable development. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 12(9), 2265-2300.
Abdeen, M. O. (2008d). Focus on low carbon technologies: The positive solution. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 12(9), 2331-2357.
Omer, A. M. (2008).Green energies and environment. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 12, 1789-1821.
Robinson, G. (2007). Changes in construction waste management. Waste Management World, 43-49. May-June 2007.
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