Potential for Bioenergy Production from Sugarcane in China

There has been rapid economic development in China in recent decades, and demand for energy has consequently been increasing rapidly. Development and utilisation of clean and renewable energy has been promoted by the Chinese government to help sustain long-term and stable development. Sugarcane is being increasingly used in several countries as feedstock for renewable energy products, and is a major and expanding crop in southern China. In this paper, we discuss the potential of sugarcane as a feedstock for bioenergy production in China. It includes a review of (1) the existing sugarcane industry in China and key bio-physical factors affecting the extent to which sugarcane-based industries could supply feedstock for renewable energy production in China, (2) the economic and policy factors which are likely to affect production of bioenergy from sugarcane in China, and (3) recommendations on actions and policies that may assist with appropriate development of bioenergy production from sugarcane in China. Existing and expected future economic conditions are unlikely to favour production of biofuel from the sugar component in cane. However, the fibre component of cane remains an under-utilised resource component. A conclusion is made that sugarcane fibre has potential to contribute towards renewable electricity production in China. However, at present, favourable incentives do not exist to encourage this production. It is suggested that policies to facilitate cost-effective production of renewable electricity by sugar mills, consistent with national objectives regarding production of renewable energy, be considered by governments. Priorities for future research are in improving biomass yields per unit area of land and technologies for low-cost conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into biofuel.     

A review of thermal-chemical conversion of lignocellulosic biomass in China

Biomass, a renewable, sustainable and carbon dioxide neutral resource, has received widespread attention in the energy market as an alternative to fossil fuels. Thermal-chemical conversion of biomass to produce biofuels is a promising technology with many commercial applications. This paper reviewed the state-of-the-art research and development of thermal-chemical conversion of biomass in China with a special focus on gasification, pyrolysis, and catalytic transformation technologies. The advantages and disadvantages, potential of future applications, and challenges related to these technologies are discussed. Conclusively, these transformation technologies for the second-generation biofuels with using non-edible lignocellulosic biomass as feedstocks show prosperous perspective for commercial applications in near future.     

江苏省能源农业发展的资源现状与发展潜力

在讨论江苏省农村生物质类型和资源总量的基础上,利用已有统计资料和数据,对江苏省能源农业发展的资源基础现状进行定量的估算,并通过对发展能源农业的种质和可利用土地、江苏省农业和畜牧业发展态势的分析研究,对江苏省能源农业的发展潜力进行了预测.研究表明,2006年江苏省农村生物质能总蕴藏量和可利用量折合标准煤分别达到14238.06万t和2311.54万t.到2010年和2015年,江苏省农村生物质能资源量折合标准煤将分别达到5390万t和6109万t.     

微生物燃料电池生物质能利用现状与展望

作为一种新概念的废物处理与能源化技术,微生物燃料电池研究在过去10年里取得了长足的进步和技术突破。本文在简要介绍微生物燃料电池研究现状基础上,系统综述了该技术及与其他技术耦合在生物质能利用方面的最新研究进展,重点分析了其中存在的问题,并展望了该技术在生物质能转化和利用方面的研究前景。     

Genetic Engineering of Energy Crops: A Strategy for Biofuel Production in China Free Access

Biomass utilization is increasingly considered as a practical way for sustainable energy supply and long‐term environment care around the world. In concerns with food security in China, starch or sugar‐based bioethanol and edible‐oil‐derived biodiesel are harshly restricted for large scale production. However, conversion of lignocellulosic residues from food crops is a potential alternative. Because of its recalcitrance, current biomass process is unacceptably expensive, but genetic breeding of energy crops is a promising solution. To meet the need, energy crops are defined with a high yield for both food and biofuel purposes. In this review, main grasses (rice, wheat, maize, sorghum and miscanthus) are evaluated for high biomass production, the principles are discussed on modification of plant cell walls that lead to efficient biomass degradation and conversion, and the related biotechnologies are proposed in terms of energy crop selection.     

Energy production from biomass (Part 1): Overview of biomass

The use of renewable energy sources is becoming increasingly necessary, if we are to achieve the changes required to address the impacts of global warming. Biomass is the most common form of renewable energy, widely used in the third world but until recently, less so in the Western world. Latterly much attention has been focused on identifying suitable biomass species, which can provide high-energy outputs, to replace conventional fossil fuel energy sources. The type of biomass required is largely determined by the energy conversion process and the form in which the energy is required. In the first of three papers, the background to biomass production (in a European climate) and plant properties is examined. In the second paper, energy conversion technologies are reviewed, with emphasis on the production of a gaseous fuel to supplement the gas derived from the landfilling of organic wastes (landfill gas) and used in gas engines to generate electricity. The potential of a restored landfill site to act as a biomass source, providing fuel to supplement landfill gas-fuelled power stations, is examined, together with a comparison of the economics of power production from purpose-grown biomass versus waste-biomass. The third paper considers particular gasification technologies and their potential for biomass gasification.     

Genetic Engineering of Energy Crops: A Strategy for Biofuel Production in China

Biomass utilization is increasingly considered as a practical way for sustainable energy supply and long-term environment care around the world.In concerns with food security in China,starch or sugar-based bioethanol and edible-oil-derived biodiesel are harshly restricted for large scale production.However,conversion of lignocellulosic residues from food crops is a potential alternative.Because of its recalcitrance,current biomass process is unacceptably expensive,but genetic breeding of energy crops is a p...     

Microalgal-bacterial aggregates: Applications and perspectives for wastewater treatment

Research on wastewater treatment by means of microalgal-bacterial processes has become a hot topic worldwide during the last two decades. Owing to the lower energy demand for oxygenation, the enhanced nutrient removal and the potential for resource recovery, microalgal-based technologies are nowadays considered as a good alternative to conventional activated sludge treatments in many instances. Nevertheless, biomass harvesting still constitutes one of the major challenges of microalgal-bacterial systems for wastewater treatment, which is hindered by the poor settleability of microalgal biomass. In this review, the use of microalgal-bacterial aggregates (MABAs) to overcome harvesting issues and to enhance resource recovery is presented. The fundamentals of MABAs-based technologies, the operational strategies and factors affecting the formation of MABAs, the microbiology and the methanogenic potential of the aggregates are addressed and critically discussed. The most recent findings and the challenges facing this technology towards its consolidation are also presented.     

运动发酵单胞菌在生物炼制中的研究进展

以木质纤维素生物质为原料的生物炼制技术已成为全球研发的热点和难点。欧盟国家和美国的中长期生物质能源发展路线图中均将木质纤维素生物炼制技术作为重要目标,但是目前整体水平尚处于中试阶段。我国的纤维素类生物质原料非常丰富,将其转化成燃料乙醇及生物基础化学品等具有较大的潜力,但当前要想实现商业化生产,还面临着很多瓶颈问题亟待解决。缺乏能够同时高效利用纤维素类水解物的发酵菌株,已成为纤维素生物质高效与高值转化的关键制约因素。运动发酵单胞菌是目前唯一一种通过ED途径兼性厌氧发酵葡萄糖的微生物,其独特的代谢途径使其成为构建产乙醇工程菌的优选宿主之一;同时由于该菌具有较高的糖利用效率等优点,也是其他生物基化学品生产的重要候选平台微生物,如山梨醇、葡萄糖酸、丁二酸和异丁醇等。本文从该菌的研究历程、分子生物学基础、菌种改良及该菌在生物能源及生物基化学品等生物炼制体系中的应用研究角度进行了综述,并提出该菌可作为纤维素生物质生物炼制系统的新的重要平台微生物。     

Marginal Land-based Biomass Energy Production in China

Fast economic development in China has resulted in a significant increase in energy demand. Coal accounts for 70% of China's primary energy consumption and its combustion has caused many environmental and health problems. Energy security and environmental protection requirements are the main drivers for renewable energy development in China. Small farmland and food security make bioenergy derived from corn or sugarcane unacceptable to China: the focus should be on generating bioenergy from ligno-cellulosic feedstock sources. As China cannot afford biomass energy production from its croplands, marginal lands may play an important role in biomass energy production. Although on a small scale, marginal land has already been used for various purposes. It is estimated that some 45 million hm² of marginal land could be brought into high potential biomass energy production. For the success of such an initiative, it will likely be necessary to develop multipurpose plants. A case study, carried out on marginal land in Ningnan County, Sichuan Province with per capita cropland of 0.07 ha, indicated that some 380 000 tons of dry biomass could be produced each year from annual pruning of mulberry trees. This study supports the feasibility of producing large quantities of biomass from marginal land sources.     

The role of bioenergy for global deep decarbonization: CO2 removal or low‐carbon energy?

Bioenergy is expected to have a prominent role in limiting global greenhouse emissions to meet the climate change target of the Paris Agreement. Many studies identify negative emissions from bioenergy generation with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) as its key contribution, but assume that no other CO₂ removal technologies are available. We use a global integrated assessment model, TIAM‐UCL, to investigate the role of bioenergy within the global energy system when direct air capture and afforestation are available as cost‐competitive alternatives to BECCS. We find that the presence of other CO₂ removal technologies does not reduce the pressure on biomass resources but changes the use of bioenergy for climate mitigation. While we confirm that when available BECCS offers cheaper decarbonization pathways, we also find that its use delays the phase‐out of unabated fossil fuels in industry and transport. Furthermore, it displaces renewable electricity generation, potentially increasing the likelihood of missing the Paris Agreement target. We found that the most cost‐effective solution is to invest in a basket of CO₂ removal technologies. However, if these technologies rely on CCS, then urgent action is required to ramp up the necessary infrastructure. We conclude that a sustainable biomass supply is critical for decarbonizing the global energy system. Since only a few world regions carry the burden of producing the biomass resource and store CO₂ in geological storage, adequate international collaboration, policies and standards will be needed to realize this resource while avoiding undesired land‐use change.     

生物制氢及其与以海水为介质的高盐有机废水处理的耦合研究

当前,全球能源系统的主体是＂碳基能源＂——石油和煤等。这些不可再生的资源已日渐枯竭,而且大量使用会破坏地球生态系统。因此,用＂氢基能源＂逐步取代＂碳基能源＂已成为发达国家能源战略的首选目标,有的国家甚至将这一目标定在本世纪中叶。对于中国等发展中国家,大力开发生物质能等新的可再生＂碳基能源＂,同时加速发展＂氢基能源＂,争取提前进入氢能时代,才能实现可持续发展,甚至跨越式发展。制氢技术包括非生物制氢和生物制氢。非生物制氢目前已小量生产和应用,生物制氢的研究也有相当长的时间,其中影响生物制氢进入实用的主要因素是能耗和生产成本过高。因此,如果作为一个孤立的技术系统,生物制氢只能作为战略性项目。首先介绍了生物制氢的主要原理、目前限制生物制氢产业化的关键限制因子;提出了从系统论的原理出发,通过技术集成,突破生物制氢成本的＂瓶颈＂,达到环保和资源利用的双重目的,使其提前实用化;最后,重点阐述了以海水为介质的高盐有机废水的生物制氢技术的研究进展,尤其介绍我国在相关方面的研究进展。     

Engineering cellulolytic ability into bioprocessing organisms

Lignocellulosic biomass is an abundant renewable feedstock for sustainable production of commodities such as biofuels. The main technological barrier that prevents widespread utilization of this resource for production of commodity products is the lack of low-cost technologies to overcome the recalcitrance of lignocellulose. Organisms that hydrolyse the cellulose and hemicelluloses in biomass and produce a valuable product such as ethanol at a high rate and titre would significantly reduce the costs of current biomass conversion technologies. This would allow steps that are currently accomplished in different reactors, often by different organisms, to be combined in a consolidated bioprocess (CBP). The development of such organisms has focused on engineering naturally cellulolytic microorganisms to improve product-related properties or engineering non-cellulolytic organisms with high product yields to become cellulolytic. The latter is the focus of this review. While there is still no ideal organism to use in one-step biomass conversion, several candidates have been identified. These candidates are in various stages of development for establishment of a cellulolytic system or improvement of product-forming attributes. This review assesses the current state of the art for enabling non-cellulolytic organisms to grow on cellulosic substrates.     

生物质能源植物种植对生物多样性的影响

随着化石燃料资源的减少和全球环境问题的加剧, 全球生物质能源的生产增长迅速, 生物质能源植物种植面积不断增长。全球生物质能源植物的大面积种植对生物多样性造成了严重影响: 不但直接或间接侵占了大片自然或半自然生态系统, 造成生物原生栖息地的退化和消失, 而且还易造成生态系统单一并改变生态系统结构与功能, 加剧面源污染, 引起外来种入侵, 甚至增加了转基因生物安全风险。为减少生物质能源植物种植对生物多样性的影响, 政府或相关单位需制订可持续发展的生物质能源生产管理规范, 合理规划以避免在生物多样性丰富或脆弱区种植生物质能源植物, 积极开发新技术并改变生物质能源原料的利用效益, 加强生产方式管理并改变传统种植模式。     

Environmental impact assessment of galvanized sheet production: a case study in Shandong Province,China

Purpose

Galvanized sheet is the most widely used coated steel plate globally in the industry of construction, automobile, electronics manufacturing, etc. Large amounts of resources and energy are used in galvanized sheet production, which likewise generates vast amounts of pollutant emissions. In the face of the rapid growth of the production and demand of galvanized sheet in China, it is very important to find out the key factors of the environment impact in the production of galvanized sheet. An evaluation of the environmental impact of galvanized sheet production in China was conducted by using the framework of life cycle assessment to improve resource saving and environmental protection in the galvanized sheet industry, and update the life cycle inventory database of galvanized sheet production.

Methods

The environmental impact assessment was carried out based on the life cycle assessment framework by the use of ReCiPe 2016 method which was applicable on a global scale to evaluate the environmental impact of galvanized sheet production. Methods of uncertainty analysis and sensitivity analysis were adopted to provide credible support.

Results and discussion

The midpoint categories of global warming and fossil resource scarcity, as well as the endpoint categories of human health contributed most to environmental burden, which were mainly caused by carbon dioxide emissions and coal consumption. Environmental impact was dominated by the key process of continuous casting billet production, followed by electrolytic zinc production and electricity generation.

Conclusions

Additional CO₂-reducing measures should be implemented in galvanized sheet production to slow the effect of global warming. Moreover, biomass char reducing agents, rather than coal-based reducing agents, should be utilized in steelmaking to reduce fossil resource consumption. Furthermore, renewable energy, rather than coal-based electricity, should be used in galvanized sheet production to reduce carbon emissions and fossil resource consumption. Increasing the recycling rate of scrap steel and zinc waste can save resources and reduce environmental burden. The results of this study can provide guidance in the reduction of resource consumption and environmental burden of galvanized sheet production to the maximum extent.

     

Anaerobic biotechnological approaches for production of liquid energy carriers from biomass

In recent years, increasing attention has been paid to the use of renewable biomass for energy production. Anaerobic biotechnological approaches for production of liquid energy carriers (ethanol and a mixture of acetone, butanol and ethanol) from biomass can be employed to decrease environmental pollution and reduce dependency on fossil fuels. There are two major biological processes that can convert biomass to liquid energy carriers via anaerobic biological breakdown of organic matter: ethanol fermentation and mixed acetone, butanol, ethanol (ABE) fermentation. The specific product formation is determined by substrates and microbial communities available as well as the operating conditions applied. In this review, we evaluate the recent biotechnological approaches employed in ethanol and ABE fermentation. Practical applicability of different technologies is discussed taking into account the microbiology and biochemistry of the processes.     

Resource depletion assessment of renewable electricity generation technologies—comparison of life cycle impact assessment methods with focus on mineral resources

Purpose

Renewable energies are promoted in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the depletion of fossil fuels. However, plants for renewable electricity production incorporate specifically higher amounts of materials being rated as potentially scarce. Therefore, it is in question which (mineral) resources contribute to the overall resource consumption and which of the manifold impact assessment methods can be recommended to cover an accurate and complete investigation of resource use for renewable energy technologies.

Methods

Life cycle assessment is conducted for different renewable electricity production technologies (wind, photovoltaics, and biomass) under German conditions and compared to fossil electricity generation from a coal-fired power plant. Focus is given on mineral resource depletion for these technologies. As no consensus has been reached so far as to which impact assessment method is recommended, different established as well as recently developed impact assessment methods (CML, ReCiPe, Swiss Ecoscarcity, and economic scarcity potential (ESP)) are compared. The contribution of mineral resources to the overall resource depletion as well as potential scarcity are identified.

Results and discussion

Overall resource depletion of electricity generation technologies tends to be dominated by fossil fuel depletion; therefore, most renewable technologies reduce the overall resource depletion compared to a coal-fired power plant. But, in comparison to fossil electricity generation from coal, mineral resource depletion is increased by wind and solar power. The investigated methods rate different materials as major contributors to mineral resource depletion, such as gallium used in photovoltaic plants (Swiss Ecoscarcity), gold and copper incorporated in electrical circuits and in cables (CML and ReCiPe), and nickel (Swiss Ecoscarcity and ReCiPe) and chromium (ESP) for stainless steel production. However, some methods lack characterization factors for potentially important materials.

Conclusions

If mineral resource use is investigated for technologies using a wider spectrum of potentially scarce minerals, practitioners need to choose the impact assessment method carefully according to their scope and check if all important materials are covered. Further research is needed for an overall assessment of different resource compartments.

     

Improving sugarcane for biofuel: engineering for an even better feedstock

Sugarcane is a proven biofuel feedstock and accounts for about 40% of the biofuel production worldwide. It has a more favorable energy input/output ratio than that of corn, the other major biofuel feedstock. The rich resource of genetic diversity and the plasticity of autopolyploid genomes offer a wealth of opportunities for the application of genomics and technologies to address fundamental questions in sugarcane towards maximizing biomass production. In a workshop on sugarcane engineering held at Rutgers University, we identified research areas and emerging technologies that could have significant impact on sugarcane improvement. Traditional plant physiological studies and standardized phenotypic characterization of sugarcane are essential for dissecting the developmental processes and patterns of gene expression in this complex polyploid species. Breeder friendly DNA markers associated with target traits will enhance selection efficiency and shorten the long breeding cycles. Integration of cold tolerance from Saccharum spontaneum and Miscanthus has the potential to expand the geographical range of sugarcane production from tropical and subtropical regions to temperate zones. The Flex-stock and mix-stock concepts could be solutions for sustaining local biorefineries where no single biofuel feedstock could provide consistent year-round supplies. The ever increasing capacities of genomics and biotechnologies pave the way for fully exploring these potentials to optimize sugarcane for biofuel production.     

基于森林资源清查资料的落叶松林生物量和净生长量估算模式

 丰富的森林资源清查资料是了解各类森林材积准确信息的重要途径,如果能将这些资源用于估算森林生物量和生产力的动态变化,不仅对于科学地指导森林的经营管理,而且对于全球变化的研究,特别是区域尺度的生产力模型验证,都具有重要意义。根据我国落叶松(Larix)林生物量和材积的实际调查资料,探讨了基于森林资源清查资料(森林材积V和林龄A)估算森林生物量和生产力的方法,指出无论是人工林还是天然林,落叶松林的生物量与其蓄积量、生产力与其年均净生物生产量(B/A)和年均净蓄积生产量(V/A)均呈双曲线关系,但落叶松林的生产力与其生物量(B)关系不明显,并分别建立了人工和天然落叶松林的相关模型;所建模型克服了将森林生物量与其蓄积量之比作为常数的不足,并考虑了林龄对于森林生产力的影响。