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Organic Contaminants and Phytoremediation: A Critical Appraisal
Published in Jos T. Puthur, Om Parkash Dhankher, Bioenergy Crops, 2022
Rogimon P. Thomas, Joby Paul, V. Vinod, Kannan V. Manian
Throughout the world, there are two key concerns such as escalating the chain of contaminated lands and bioenergy demands. Therefore, connecting phytoremediation with energy crops is essential for sustainable development. Research has shown that energy crops have increased soil stability, decreased surface water runoff, decreased transport of nutrients and sediment, and increased soil moisture, in comparison to traditional crops. They also require fewer fertilizers, herbicides and insecticides than traditional row crops; this reduction in herbicide and pesticide use reduces the potential for water pollution and other environmental problems. Another environmental benefit from the use of energy crops is a decrease in emissions. Unlike fossil fuels, plants grown for energy crops absorb the amount of CO2 released during their combustion/ use. Use of inedible bioenergy crops for remediation of heavy metal-polluted sites has the benefit that biomass produced can be used to generate biofuel and utilizes lands which are incompatible for raising food crops. Energy crops may also shelter natural forests by catering an alternative supply of wood, which can be raised on-farm or pasture land that is no longer desirable for traditional row crops. They are beneficial in providing certain ecosystem services, including carbon sequestration, biodiversity enhancement, salinity mitigation, and enhancement of soil and water quality (Dipti and Priyanka 2013, Bauddh et al. 2017).
Hydrogen Sources
Published in Michael Frank Hordeski, Hydrogen & Fuel Cells: Advances in Transportation and Power, 2020
In order for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles to reduce global warming gases, the electrolysis process will need to become more efficient, and the electric power will need to be produced from a higher percentage of low-to zero-carbon sources (renewables or coal with carbon capture and storage). Current projections indicate that electrolytic hydrogen from grid electricity in the U.S. would create a net increase in global warming gases. Dedicated sustainable energy crops could also serve as a part of a hydrogen economy since they can be a carbon-free source of hydrogen through biomass gasification, or be converted to cellulosic-based ethanol and then to hydrogen. This option is attractive since ethanol is a room temperature liquid fuel and substantially easier to transport. Energy crops could also diversify agricultural markets, help stabilize the agricultural economy, aid rural economic development and reduce the adverse impacts of agricultural subsidies on developing countries. More research and development of the production processes of biomass to hydrogen and ethanol-to-hydrogen is needed to make this source of energy a cost-effective and viable option.
Renewable fuels for aviation
Published in Frank Fichert, Peter Forsyth, Hans-Martin Niemeier, Aviation and Climate Change, 2020
Furthermore, the potential availability of biomass for energy purposes is limited by sustainability issues. This includes environmental as well as socio-economic sustainability. Concerns are raised in particular for agricultural and silvicultural production of dedicated energy crops, for example, in terms of negative impacts on biodiversity, use of pesticides and fertilizers, water consumption, conversion of formerly natural habitats and other issues. But the use of wastes and residues is also limited for sustainability reasons (Searle and Malins, 2016). For example, a certain share of residues from agriculture and forestry need to be left unused to maintain the quality of the soils and protect biodiversity. Furthermore, competing uses of such residues, e.g. as fuel wood or animal feed, have to be considered.
Second-generation biofuel development in iran: current state and future directions
Published in Energy Sources, Part B: Economics, Planning, and Policy, 2021
Reza Yazdanparast, Fariborz Jolai, Mir Saman Pishvaee, Abbas Keramati
Energy crops are specifically cultivated as feedstock for biofuel production. These plants are cost-efficient and require less maintenance in comparison with other crops (Kaygusuz 2007). The cultivation of energy crops depends more on rainfall and temperature than soil quality (Zegada-Lizarazu and Monti 2011). Various types of energy crops have been identified throughout the world, each having its own characteristics and applications. Beside sugarcane, other energy crops in Iran are neither widely cultivated nor indigenous. We now present some the best-known energy crops with high biofuel production potential introduced by previous studies. These crops and their cultivation requirements are detailed in Table 7 (Babazadeh 2017; Ghelichi, Saidi-Mehrabad, and Pishvaee 2018). For more information on energy crops, please refer to Zegada-Lizarazu and Monti (2011).
Feasibility of usage of hemp as a feedstock for anaerobic digestion: Findings from a literature review of the relevant technological and energy dimensions
Published in Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology, 2021
Carlo Ingrao, Veronica Novelli, Francesca Valenti, Antonio Messineo, Claudia Arcidiacono, Donald Huisingh
Biogas yields from leaves averaged 0.586 Lbiogas/gDM, with a 62.28% methane content: MEY was equal to 214.36 GJ/ha. However, to make it profitable at the industrial scale, proper mechanization and processing systems must be developed and tested, to compare methane yields of foliar and stems separately. That would help to enhance potential interest in IH as a crop, to provide multiple products such as: food production (seeds); buildings (fibers and hurds); and biogas-derived energy (leaves). This could reduce competition for land-use for energy crops and for food and feed crops. This could help to reduce the net environmental impacts from production of IH.
Bioenergy potentials of three Euphorbia species from Western Ghats in India
Published in Energy Sources, Part A: Recovery, Utilization, and Environmental Effects, 2019
Vijayalekshmi Anju, Koranappallil Bahuleyan Rameshkumar, Sabulal Baby
Biomass/bioenergy sources are gaining more prominence as alternate energy sources, and are one of the largest renewable energy sources. Energy crops are one of the significant and potentially large plant biomass sources, which are cultivated solely for energy and gives maximum energy yield in a short period of time. Laticiferous species Euphorbia gained worldwide recognition for its bioenergy potential. Here the chemical constituents and bioenergy contents of three Euphorbia species viz., E. vajravelui, E. tortilis, and E. trigona, from the southern Western Ghats in India were evaluated for the first time. These three Euphorbia species were analyzed for their latex, moisture, ash, oil, polyphenol, hydrocarbon contents, elemental compositions, gross heat values, and thermal degradation patterns. Latex yields and oil contents varied from 0.08 to 0.26 g and 5.45 to 5.59%; while polyphenol and hydrocarbon contents ranged from 3.12 to 8.39% and 0.28 to 0.41%, respectively. Carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen contents ranged from 42.40 to 44.50%, 6.22 to 8.40% and 1.03 to 1.65%, while moisture and ash contents varied from 79.5 to 91.9% and 4.06 to 6.80%, respectively. Trace elements such as Fe, Mg, K, Ca, P, Zn, Mn, Ba, Sr, and Cu were detected in these Euphorbia specimens. Gross heat values varied from 17.51 to 18.71 MJ/kg. Thermal analytical techniques (TG/DTG, DTA, and DSC) produced comparable results. In TG/DTG, these Euphorbia species showed weight losses of 76.62–82.91% and exothermic peaks corresponding to these transitions were observed in both DTA and DSC. Peak top temperatures and nature of peaks observed in these thermal techniques were very similar. Ignition temperatures of these Euphorbia species are comparable to other fuel sources.