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Negative emission technology such as bioenergy with carbon capture and storage is extremely important to offset the presence of atmospheric greenhouse gases. Biochar, a solid product obtained from the thermal decomposition of biomass, is a promising pathway for the storage of solid carbon and energy applications. This article proposes the concept o...
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... Industrial revolution, the lifestyle of the developed world, urbanization, globalization, and technological advancements have contributed to escalated environmental pollution and the depletion of fossil fuel resources [1]. Climate change is one of the most serious issues facing the worldwide community, and it directly affects fuel supply and energy production [2,3]. Increasing emissions of CO 2 into the atmosphere from human activities, forest fires, global warming, greenhouse gas emissions, and deforestation negatively affect climate change [4,5]. ...
In this work, using Density Functional Theory (DFT) and Time Dependent DFT, the absorption spectrum, the optical gap, and the binding energy of scandium pnictogen family nanoparticles (NPs) are examined. The calculated structures are created from an initial cubic-like building block of the form Sc4Y4, where Y = N, P, As after elongation along one and two perpendicular directions. The existence of stable structures over a wide range of morphologies was one of the main findings of this research, and this led to the study of several exotic NPs. The absorption spectrum of all the studied structures is within the visible spectrum, while the optical gap varies between 1.62 and 3 eV. These NPs could be used in the field in photovoltaics (quantum dot sensitized solar cells) and display applications.
... Producer gas obtained from biomass gasification can be fed into engines to generate electrical or mechanical power or can be burned directly for heating purposes. Biochar, a co-product of gasification, has carbon sequestration potential and is beneficial for agriculture applications [12,13]. It has been recognized that large-scale centralized systems are more suitable for the fuels and chemicals market. ...
Gasification of waste biomass can offer a cleaner and renewable alternative to wood and fossil fuel-based cooking systems. However, field evaluations of biomass gasifiers for institutional cooking are rarely reported in the scientific literature. This study was aimed to develop a fuel-efficient gasifier system for institutional cooking in the Indian context. We conducted field experiments in both rural and urban settings using collaborative approaches. The results demonstrated significant improvements in gasifier-based cooking including up to a 25% reduction in cooking time, about 28% lower fuel consumption, and 82% less fine particulate matter emissions, within the permissible limits, when compared to cooking via traditional chulha (clay stove). Through collaborative design with users, the gasifier system underwent further modifications to achieve a substantial reduction in cooking time (around 25–30%) across various testing scenarios. Furthermore, the gasifier system was successfully demonstrated to supplement a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)-based cooking system, and the latter showed around 25% faster cooking performance and a 12.5% lower energy input. Practical problems encountered during biomass gasifier field trials were documented and analyzed, along with a project SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis. The results of gasifier field trials imply significant potential when compared to the traditional cooking in a rural setting. Overall, the proposed gasifier system could serve as a sustainable technology alternative for bioenergy applications in the developing world.
... Storing solid biochar permanently in the ground for an extended period (Thengane and Bandyopadhyay, 2020). ...
Global warming may cause the average atmospheric temperature to exceed 2 °C by the end of this century, instigating climate change and adversely affecting human lives. Emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) should be reduced to overcome the problems of global warming and climate change. The applications of negative emission technologies (NETs) are proposed to reduce terrestrial CO2 and are identified as one of the prominent options for the energy system transition. Most negative emission technologies require energy to function, which has to be produced from additional energy sources. Understanding the interdependence of the energy sources and NETs for planning the carbon-constrained energy sector is essential. A novel graphical approach, founded on the concepts of Pinch Analysis, to decarbonize the energy sector is purported in this paper. The proposed method determines the minimum integration of negative emission technologies required to attain the allowed CO2 emission limit while satisfying the energy demand. Four different examples are used to show the applicability of the suggested approach with different NETs: carbon capture and sequestration (CCS), bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), and direct air capture (DAC). In these examples, renewable-based energy sources, fossil-based energy sources, as well as energy-producing negative emission technologies are used as compensatory energy sources. The proposed graphical approach has the potential to be used as a planning tool to decarbonize the energy sector involving interdependent energy sources and NETs.
... The interest in conversion of biomass waste from agriculture and forestry to energy production and carbon sequestration has been growing [22][23][24]. Carbon and energy content in these wastes make them potential candidates for thermochemical process to produce bioenergy and bioproducts [24]. In general, the many approaches to using biochar facilitate zero waste and the interest of circular economy values [25]. ...
Climate change and environmental sustainability are among the most prominent issues of today. It is increasingly fundamental and urgent to develop a sustainable economy, capable of change the linear paradigm, actively promoting the efficient use of resources, highlighting product, component and material reuse. Among the many approaches to circular economy and zero-waste concepts, biochar is a great example and might be a way to push the economy to neutralize carbon balance. Biochar is a solid material produced during thermochemical decomposition of biomass in an oxygen-limited environment. Several authors have used life cycle assessment (LCA) method to evaluate the environmental impact of biochar production. Based on these studies, this work intends to critically analyze the LCA of biochar production from different sources using different technologies. Although these studies reveal differences in the contexts and characteristics of production, preventing direct comparison of results, a clear trend appears. It was proven, through combining life cycle assessment and circular economy modelling, that the application of biochar is a very promising way of contributing to carbon-efficient resource circulation, mitigation of climate change, and economic sustainability.
... Storing solid biochar permanently in the ground for an extended period (Thengane and Bandyopadhyay, 2020). ...
Increased industrial activities led to increased production of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, thereby responsible for global warming. Global warming is causing climate change and adversely affecting human lives. Carbon dioxide (CO2) should be reduced to overcome the problem of global warming and arrest climate change to a certain acceptable level. Using negative emission technologies (NETs) is proposed to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere. In most cases, negative emission technologies (NETs) consume energy to capture carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere. The carbon dioxide (CO2) emitting energy sources must provide these parasitic energy requirements of the negative emission technologies (NETs). An interdependency exists between energy sources and negative emission technologies (NETs) for appropriate planning to decarbonize the energy sector. There should be optimal energy production and the use of negative emission technologies (NETs) to keep the carbon dioxide (CO2) emission within a specified range. Pinch Analysis can be applied to the carbon-constrained energy sector planning.
Tan et al. (2007) developed a Pinch Analysis- based method known as carbon emission Pinch Analysis (CEPA) to determine the optimum renewable energy needed for satisfying the allowed emission limit. Nair et al. (2020) presented a graphical method for carbon emission pinch analysis by incorporating energy-producing negative emission technologies (EP-NETs) along with a carbon capture and storage (CCS) system to attain the allowed emission limit. Nair et al. (2022) proposed a graphical method that can incorporate carbon capture and storage CCS, energy-producing NETs (EP-NETs), and energy-consuming NETs (EC-NETs) for carbon-constrained energy planning.
This work proposes a non-iterative graphical targeting approach for the decarbonization of the energy sector. The method determines the minimum integration of negative emission technologies (NETs) needed to attain the allowed carbon dioxide (CO2) limit. It also determines the minimum energy produced from the energy sources to satisfy the overall energy demand. Different negative emission technologies (NETs) can be incorporated together or alone for energy planning using the proposed technique, giving the optimum integration of the required negative emission. The method also works when renewables or fossil-based energy sources are used as a compensatory energy source. The proposed decarbonization technique can be used as a planning tool to handle changes in fixed energy demand and allowable carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions for any specified geographical region.
The method's applicability is demonstrated by a case study from Nair et al. (2022). The total energy produced by the available energy sources is 57.48 TWh/y, while 16.92 Mt/TWh of carbon dioxide is also produced. The allowed CO2 emission is 15 Mt/TWh. For this case study, direct air capture (DAC) along with carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) is used for attaining the desired emission limit, and renewable energy sources are used as compensatory energy sources. The objective of the case study was to find the minimum integration of direct air capture (DAC) for carbon-constrained energy planning.
Applying the proposed technique, the solution obtained implies that 7.32 TWh/y of additional energy from renewables is generated to meet the allowed CO2 emission and energy demand. It is noted that 4.8 TWh/y is the energy consumed by DAC for removing 1.92 Mt/y of CO2 from the atmosphere. The solution matches the solution reported by Nair et al. (2022). Another solution is also obtained for the same problem. It implies that DAC is not needed for CO2 removal if only 4.92 TWh/y of energy from renewables is generated and 3.6 TWh/y of energy from oil.
... Global climate scientists have included bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS or bio-CCS) in the pathways to achieve the limit of staying below 2 • C of global warming as agreed in the Paris meet [323]. Torrefaction can be integrated as part of BECCS in several ways such as utilizing CO 2 or flue gas as torrefaction medium [324], capturing CO 2 produced during torrefaction [325], or by utilizing torrefied biomass in soil amendment and land reclamation thereby sequestering carbon [221,326]. Considering the potential contribution of biomass torrefaction towards CO 2 mitigation through different applications and preventing biomass from burning or decaying, there is a need of detail life cycle analysis, and techno-enviro-economic analysis of the technology at different scales. ...
Biomass is a promising renewable source that can reduce fossil fuel consumption and associated greenhouse gas emissions, but some of its characteristics make it difficult to use in its raw form. Torrefaction has been proposed as a thermochemical pretreatment to upgrade biomass for direct applications such as combustion and gasification, biochar and chemicals production, while reducing its transportation cost and increasing its shelf-life. Research, development, and demonstration of biomass torrefaction technologies have advanced during the last few decades, but many science and engineering fundamentals as well as technological challenges remain, especially in the areas of reaction thermodynamics and kinetics, reactor models and design, large-scale implementation, and environmental performance. In this paper we present a comprehensive review of recent developments in biomass torrefaction research and technology focusing on kinetics, particle and reactor scale models, and reactor designs. The impacts of torrefaction as a pretreatment of biomass on subsequent conversion processes, and the novel applications of torrefied biomass are discussed. The energy management, environmental impacts, economic and market potential of the technology as well as the deployment options are also addressed. There is no best universal torrefaction reactor and hence the choice should be made based on the biomass feedstock and the expected production rate and application. To reduce process costs and competition with other uses of biomass, the utilization of either waste or environmentally sustainable, more abundant, and faster growing biomass should be targeted for this technology. Torrefied biomass produced at higher temperatures resemble pyrolysis biochar in several properties thereby making it suitable for most biochar applications. Finally, considering the need to identify the bottlenecks that potentially could limit the use of torrefaction, and its preceding or subsequent processes, the future prospects, challenges, and opportunities of torrefaction technology are presented.
... A moderately dry product is produced which is referred to as torrefied biomass or biocoal, and this biomass reduces its potential for organic decomposition. The calorific value of the woods and agro-based residue falls in the range of 20-30 MJ/kg when converted to torrefied biomass or biochar, making it a potential feedstock for thermal applications (Thengane and Bandyopadhyay, 2020). ...
Nowadays, biochar is regarded as a potential agent for the removal of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) which are the major cause of concern for the aquatic environment because their toxicity and tendency to accumulate in the human body leads to disorder. PTEs such as As, Cd, Pb, Cr, Ni, and Cu (some of them are non-biodegradable) are causing various lethal diseases and disorders in human health. Biochar is extensively used as an adsorbent to eliminate the inorganic toxic PTEs from waste-water, as biochar generally possesses a larger surface area, substantial adsorption capacity, and more ample surface functional groups. These properties of biochar signify a unique carbonaceous material exhibiting ameliorated efficiency toward various wastewater treatments. Numerous studies have inspected regarding the efficient removal of contaminants using biochar from an aqueous solution. This review emphasizes an overview of biochar production, properties, pyrolysis process, adsorption mechanism, and condition of different types of feedstocks. Presently, access to biochar in the adsorption process has brought a significant way due to its wide availability as an agriculture or forest residue, low cost, and environmental benefit. A low adsorption rate of PTEs is found in some literature, but it can be managed with modified biochar to improve the adsorption capacity. Thus, biochar is used as a promising, potential sorbent to control water pollution. The highlights of the review are to comprehend the characteristics, removal efficiency, and adsorption behavior of PTEs on biochar in an aqueous solution.
... Many strategies have been applied to reduce wheat and corn Cd accumulation in Cd-contaminated soils, but most of them have a high technical barrier or environmental hazard Cao et al., 2021). Biochar is pyrolyzed by thermal decomposition of raw biomass at a wide range of temperatures under the condition of hypoxia (Thengane and Bandyopadhyay, 2020;Siddique et al., 2021). Biochar is widely studied and applied to heavy-metal-contaminated soils as it has a large amount of microporous structure, high specific surface area, and organic functional groups, which can potentially regulate the soil pH and structure and decrease the mobilization of soil heavy metals via adsorption and precipitation . ...
Wheat–maize rotation is one of the most popular systems and successful intensification cropping systems in Northern China, while soils in some of this area are contaminated by cadmium (Cd). However, few studies have performed experiments on the reduction of Cd accumulation in the wheat–maize rotation system. In this study, wheat- and maize-derived biochars are applied to the Cd-contaminated soil to reduce the Cd accumulation in the wheat and maize plants. The results showed that soil biochar applications can significantly decrease DTPA-extracted Cd concentrations by 12.7–26.0% and 13.1–20.5% by wheat- and maize-derived biochars, respectively. Sequential extractions showed that biochar applications significantly reduced the Cd mobility and bioavailability in soils and changed the exchangeable and carbonate-bound fractions of Cd to organic material-bound and residual fractions. The biochar applications increased the plant growth, yield, and quality of both wheat and maize, especially a significant increase in high dosages. The biochar applications also improved the antioxidant enzyme activities and reduced the reduction of MDA in both wheat and maize roots. The Cd concentrations in wheat grains were reduced by 38.1–91.5% and 65.9–80%, and maize grain Cd concentrations were reduced by 20.9–54.2% and 30.8–44% by wheat- and maize-derived biochar applications, respectively, and the Cd concentrations in the root, stem, and leaf were also significantly reduced. The wheat-derived biochar was more effective on the Cd reduction in soil bioavailable fractions and Cd accumulation in crop plants.
... Other proposed end applications than as soil additive include the creation of biochar repositories ("artificial biochar mines") [33] [34], applying biochar in mine land restoration, and for rehabilitation of degraded lands [14]. Further exploration of such alternative biochar CDR value chains may be necessary to fully utilize biochar CDR potentials in developing countries. ...
The paper presents a review of technology readiness, costs, impacts, and practical limitations of the Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) methods Biochar as soil additive and Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS). TRLs, costs, practical limitations, and impacts of the considered CDR methods vary greatly depending on contextually appropriate technology choices and assumptions. The analysis shows that the CDR methods should be considered as classes of CDR methods with considerable variation rather than as two homogenous CDR methods.
... The primary measures for achieving the ambitious targets set by the Paris agreement include carbon capture, storage, and utilization, energy conservation and efficiency improvement, an increased use of renewable resources, and the use of negative emissions technologies (NETs) [1,2]. Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) is looked upon as one of the most promising NETs in spite of some debates over concerns about the timing of CO 2 capture and release. ...
This review article discusses the effects of inorganic content and mechanisms on raw
biomass and char during gasification. The impacts of the inherent inorganics and externally added inorganic compounds are summarized based on a literature search from the most recent 40 years. The TGA and larger-scale studies involving K-, Ca-, and Si-related mechanisms are critically reviewed with the aim of understanding the reaction mechanisms and kinetics. Differences between the reaction pathways of inorganic matter, and subsequent effects on the reactivity during gasification, are discussed. The present results illustrate the complexity of ash transformation phenomena, which have a strong impact on the design of gasifiers as well as further operation and process control. The impregnation and mixing of catalytic compounds into raw biomass are emphasized as a potential solution to avoid reactivity-related operational challenges during steam and CO2 gasification. This review clearly identifies a gap in experimental knowledge at the micro and macro levels in the advanced modelling of inorganics transformation with respect to gasification reactivity.
