The olive oil industry is an important source of agricultural residues throughout its value chain, ranging from intermediate process slurries to relatively dry content pruning residues. Among them, crude olive pomace (COP) is of particular interest since it is abundant, low cost and can be a promising source for bioenergy. Nevertheless, because COP is phytotoxic and has a high moisture content and low energy density, it represents a challenge to conventional processes that usually require a dry and homogenous material. The main novelty of this study is the use of a transition metal catalyst and a central composite design (CCD) approach to optimize the conversion of COP through hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) into valuable products. Results show that catalytic HTL is capable of converting up to half of the COP into bio-oil. Higher process temperatures resulted in lower bio-oil yields but larger higher heating value (HHV) and lower N content. The bio-oils produced at higher temperatures also show lower concentration of phenols and regarding biochar, a low inorganic content. Without any further upgrading, COP bio-oils produced by HTL are rich in valuable compounds such as oleic acid, phenolic compounds and ketones that can be used in the polymer industry or as chemical intermediates. The highest bio-oil yield was 51.96 wt% at 330 ºC for 30 min and 7.5 wt% catalyst with a HHV of 22.0 MJ/kg. At those operational conditions, the biochar yield was 16.49 wt% with a HHV of 8.9 MJ/kg. The major minerals found in the biochars (CaO, SiO₂ and P₂O₅) suggests that biochar could be well-suited for use in soil applications or as materials for adsorption, especially the non-catalytic ones. Furthermore, the experimental results acquired from HTL of COP were used to develop a global kinetic model. Using an explicit Runge-Kutta method, the kinetic parameters were calculated. After comparing the global kinetic model with a linear system of ordinary differential equations (ODEs) based on the CCD models, results indicate that this approach is more effective in predicting the yields of HTL products.

An urgent ecological issue is the threat posed by invasive species, which are becoming more widespread especially in Africa. These encroachments damage ecosystems, pose a threat to biodiversity, and outcompete local plants and animals. This article focuses on converting Acacia Mellifera from Namibia, commonly known as encroacher bush (EB) into high-quality drop-in intermediates for the chemical and transport industry via hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL). HTL tackles the growing need for sustainable energy carriers while simultaneously halting the spread of the invasive species. A surface response methodology was used to optimize the HTL process for the following operational conditions: temperature (250–340 °C), residence time (5–60 min) and catalyst loading (0–10 wt%). The catalyst of choice was determined after evaluating the energy recovery (ER) of four different catalysts (Zeolite, La₂O₃, Hydrotalcite, Ni/SiO₂–Al₂O₃) under the same HTL operational conditions. The results indicate that the addition of hydrotalcite results in high yields of bio-crude oil (13–28 wt%), without compromising the high heating value (HHV, 26–31 MJ/kg), water content (0.47 wt%) or increasing the content of oxygenated compounds compared to the non-catalytic experiment. For the experimental conditions tested, we observed a global maximum in conversion in the 330 °C and 30 min range. Our findings indicate that the most significant factor on the conversion of EB into bio-crude oil was temperature, followed by the catalyst loading. Furthermore, biochars produced at 330 °C and 30 min show potential as solid biofuels with HHVs up to 28.30 MJ/kg.

Renewable graphite from low-grade waste is an alternative for fossil-derived graphite for anodes in lithium-ion batteries. This study investigates into whether the biochar produced from indirect biomass gasification can be used as lithium anode active material after graphitization. In this study, we focus on the biochar by-product from gasified wood pellets using a novel 50 kWth Indirectly Heated Bubbling Fluidized Bed Steam Reformer (IHBFBSR) design. The resulting biographite is analyzed according to its crystallinity, morphology, surface composition and subsurface composition. Also, the material is tested in half cell batteries to determine its suitability for lithium-ion batteries. The biographite shows a high crystallinity which is necessary for good lithium diffusivity in the lattice structure. However, the biographite flakes are not homogeneous in size. Testing in half cell batteries demonstrated that 96 % of the theoretical graphite capacity is reached. The material shows capacity fade linked to exfoliation of the material. The initial coulombic efficiency (ICE) during charging is lower than conventional graphites due to surface reactivity. Size distribution, exfoliation and ICE must therefore be addressed to make the IHBFBSR biographite fit for battery utility.

The oil palm industry has been under public scrutiny during the last decades due to environmental and social issues related to its practices. Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) trunks (OPTs) are of special interest as they are left idle in the field after the replanting process which is performed every 25 years. This common practice results in harvesting challenges, phytosanitary risks, and a loss of bioenergy potential. Due to their high moisture content and fibrous nature, OPTs present a problem for traditional conversion processes that require a dry and homogeneous material. This study evaluates the feasibility of converting OPTs into a bio-crude oil and biochar to increase the sustainability of the oil palm sector. To date, research efforts have primarily focused on hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) of OPT without catalysts, resulting in a limited understanding of the potential of OPTs. Thus, the main novelty of this work is the evaluation of the effects of catalyst dosage (0–5 wt%) on the bio-oil yield, reaction temperature (260–300^∘C), and residence time (15–60 min) using a half-fraction experimental design methodology. For this, OPTs extracted from two plantations in Guatemala were used. The maximum bio-oil yield (26.77 ± 3.60 wt%) was found at 260^∘C for 15 min and 5 wt% catalyst with a high heating value (HHV) of 19.29 ± 1.33 MJ kg⁻¹. Nonetheless, the bio-oils produced without a catalyst at 300^∘C and 15 min have higher HHV (27.63 ± 1.35 MJ kg⁻¹) and are similar to Diesel fuel based on their H/C and O/C ratio. These results indicate that there is a potential trade-off between the bio-crude oil mass yield and HHV when using the catalyst.

Long transport distances and extended storage of biomass pellets especially in humid environments provide a suitable setting for enhanced degradation in the form of moisture sorption, cracking and attrition. We developed an optically transparent, low-cost and environmentally friendly coating to reduce moisture sorption and storage degradation of pellets. The developed coating is a hybrid sol–gel, based on tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and 3-glycidoxypropyl-trimethoxysilane (GPTMS) precursors. We coated two types of untreated and one type of torrefied wood pellets and stored them in a climate chamber during 1 month simulating a ship's hold, at a constant condition of 40 °C and 85% relative humidity. After 1 month of storage, the mean water contact angle increased by a factor of two compared to the uncoated ones. The lower wettability of the sol-gel coated untreated pellets compared to the non-coated torrefied pellets might provide an alternative to torrefaction.

Our work provides a thorough characterization of different biochars produced by a novel 50 kW_th Indirectly Heated Bubbling Fluidized Bed Steam Reformer. This study investigates the effect of temperature and gasification agent on the physico-chemical properties of biochars. We combined macro, micro and nano characterization techniques to provide a clear picture of the biochar characteristics, surface functionality and its “inert” nature toward potential applications. Our results demonstrate that indirect gasification is capable of producing carbon-rich biochars (> 92%) with increased porosity (89–198 cm³.g⁻¹), high heating value (28–31 MJ.kg⁻¹ a.r.) and aromaticity compared to the parent biomass. All biochars have lower O/C (0.02–0.04) and H/C atomic ratios (0.09–0.19), similar to anthracite. For the range of tested gasification conditions, air/steam gasification at an equivalence ratio of 0.20 and steam-to-biomass ratio of 1.2 provides the highest biochar yield (7.3%), while maintaining syngas composition optimal. On the other hand, air gasification produces biochars with relatively high content of inorganic elements. Indirectly heated biochars are compliant with the European Biochar Certificate regarding the carbon content, O/C ratio, H/C ratio. Our biochars may provide an improvement in agricultural yield and CO₂ adsorption, especially those produced under air/steam gasification conditions. Our novel indirect design not only constitutes a promising development in the field of biomass allothermal gasification but also can help improving gasification circularity through the production of high quality biochar.

The use of biomass pellets as a source of renewable energy has increased in recent times. However, pellet storage during transportation can compromise their properties, due to fluctuating temperature and humid environments. Here, we show that extended storage of one month at 40 °C and 85% relative humidity causes significant biomass pellet degradation. This was evidenced by higher pellet porosity, weight gain, increased inclusion body formation and creation of an internal network of cracks. We quantify the inclusion and pore growth processes at the surface and within the pellets, which has implications for subsequent thermochemical conversion. The global bioenergy transition may depend upon biomass pellets, and this study shows that storage conditions are critical in the supply chain, so to maintain their quality. Without the development of stronger policies to avoid premature degradation of biomass pellets, they may not realize their full potential as a bioenergy source.

Fostered by environmental and economic drivers, liquid biofuels are expanding in the global energy matrix. However, many countries with biofuel potential, such as Guatemala, have yet to develop domestic biofuels markets. During the last decade, ethanol production in Guatemala has increased significantly, yet a domestic market does not appear to be in the horizon. It is a kind of paradox: a world class sugarcane producer and ethanol exporter does not use any blend of ethanol and gasoline in vehicles. This paper presents a techno-economic analysis and review of barriers that have delayed ethanol-gasoline blends in Guatemala. The cost assessment considers data from an existing distillery in Guatemala. Results show that Guatemala could produce annually a maximum of 250 million liters of ethanol from molasses, more than the amount required to introduce E10. For the current conditions, results from the modelling indicate that the cost of ethanol has minimal impact on the price of E10, but taxes could represent one third of the cost of E10 at the retail level. Since supply conditions are favourable and technical barriers are not relevant, strong government intervention and a coherent price structure for ethanol-gasoline blends is needed to create an ethanol market in Guatemala.

Biomass co-firing with coal can help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and can act as a low-cost stepping-stone for developing biomass supply infrastructures. This paper presents a techno-economic assessment of the biomass co-firing potential in coal-fired boilers in Czech Republic, France, Germany and Poland. The current coal power plant infrastructure is characterized by means of geographic location of the coal power plants, installed boiler capacity, type of boiler technology and year of commissioning, as extracted from the Chalmers Power Plant Database. The assessment considers type of boiler technology, type of biomass, co-firing fraction, implementation costs, breakeven prices for co-firing and an alkali index to determine the risk of high-temperature corrosion. The main factors affecting the co-firing potential are the biomass price, carbon price and alkali index. Results indicate that the total co-firing potential in the four countries is around 16 TWh year⁻¹, with the largest potential from a conversion perspective in Germany, followed by Poland. Biomass co-firing with coal is estimated to be competitive at biomass prices below 13 € MWh_input⁻¹ when the carbon price is 20 € t⁻¹ CO₂. On average, 1 TWh of electricity from biomass co-firing substitutes 0.9 Mt of fossil CO₂ emissions.