Sustainability is a key principle in natural resource management, and it involves operational efficiency, minimisation of environmental impact and socio-economic considerations; all of which are interdependent. It has become increasingly obvious that continued reliance on fossil fuel energy resources is unsustainable, owing to both depleting world reserves and the green house gas emissions associated with their use. Therefore, there are vigorous research initiatives aimed at developing alternative renewable and potentially carbon neutral solid, liquid and gaseous biofuels as alternative energy resources. However, alternate energy resources akin to first generation biofuels derived from terrestrial crops such as sugarcane, sugar beet, maize and rapeseed place an enormous strain on world food markets, contribute to water shortages and precipitate the destruction of the world's forests. Second generation biofuels derived from lignocellulosic agriculture and forest residues and from non-food crop feedstocks address some of the above problems; however there is concern over competing land use or required land use changes. Therefore, based on current knowledge and technology projections, third generation biofuels specifically derived from microalgae are considered to be a technically viable alternative energy resource that is devoid of the major drawbacks associated with first and second generation biofuels. Microalgae are photosynthetic microorganisms with simple growing requirements (light, sugars, CO 2 , N, P, and K) that can produce lipids, proteins and carbohydrates in large amounts over short periods of time. These products can be processed into both biofuels and valuable co-products. This study reviewed the technologies underpinning microalgae-to-biofuels systems, focusing on the biomass production, harvesting, conversion technologies, and the extraction of useful co-products. It also reviewed the synergistic coupling of microalgae propagation with carbon sequestration and wastewater treatment potential for mitigation of environmental impacts associated with energy conversion and utilisation. It was found that, whereas there are outstanding issues related to photosynthetic efficiencies and biomass output, microalgae-derived biofuels could progressively substitute a significant proportion of the fossil fuels required to meet the growing energy demand.

/pdf/biofuels-from-microalgae-a-review-of-technologies-for-1t1wwr5e69.pdf

Biofuels from microalgae—A review of technologies for production, processing, and extractions of biofuels and co-products

The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) is an independent organization devoted to the development of standards.

American Society for Testing and Materials

Biochar as a sorbent for contaminant management in soil and water: a review.

Nature And Properties Of Soils

Recent analyses of the energy and greenhouse-gas performance of alternative biofuels have ignited a controversy that may be best resolved by applying two simple principles. In a world seeking solutions to its energy, environmental, and food challenges, society cannot afford to miss out on the global greenhouse-gas emission reductions and the local environmental and societal benefits when biofuels are done right. However, society also cannot accept the undesirable impacts of biofuels done wrong.

https://science.sciencemag.org/content/sci/325/5938/270.full.pdf

Beneficial Biofuels—The Food, Energy, and Environment Trilemma

Impact of pyrolysis temperature and manure source on physicochemical characteristics of biochar.

Biochar has been heralded as an amendment to revitalize degraded soils, improve soil carbon sequestration, increase agronomic productivity, and enter into future carbon trading markets. However, scientific and economic technicalties may limit the ability of biochar to consistently deliver on these expectations. Past research has demonstrated that biochar is part of the black carbon continuum with variable properties due to the net result of production (e.g., feedstock and pyrolysis conditions) and postproduction factors (storage or activation). Therefore, biochar is not a single entity but rather spans a wide range of black carbon forms. Biochar is black carbon, but not all black carbon is biochar. Agronomic benefits arising from biochar additions to degraded soils have been emphasized, but negligible and negative agronomic effects have also been reported. Fifty percent of the reviewed studies reported yield increases after black carbon or biochar additions, with the remainder of the studies reporting alarming decreases to no significant differences. Hardwood biochar (black carbon) produced by traditional methods (kilns or soil pits) possessed the most consistent yield increases when added to soils. The universality of this conclusion requires further evaluation due to the highly skewed feedstock preferences within existing studies. With global population expanding while the amount of arable land remains limited, restoring soil quality to nonproductive soils could be key to meeting future global food production, food security, and energy supplies; biochar may play a role in this endeavor. Biochar economics are often marginally viable and are tightly tied to the assumed duration of agronomic benefits. Further research is needed to determine the conditions under which biochar can provide economic and agronomic benefits and to elucidate the fundamental mechanisms responsible for these benefits.

/pdf/biochar-a-synthesis-of-its-agronomic-impact-beyond-carbon-4i1qspanh3.pdf

Biochar: a synthesis of its agronomic impact beyond carbon sequestration.

https://www.ars.usda.gov/ARSUserFiles/60820000/Manuscripts/2008/Man777.pdf

Livestock waste-to-bioenergy generation opportunities

Qualitative analysis of volatile organic compounds on biochar.

In this study, we used a commercial pilot-scale pyrolysis reactor system to produce combustible gas and biochar at 620 °C from three sources (chicken litter, swine solids, mixture of swine solids with rye grass). Pyrolysis of swine solids produced gas with the greatest higher heating value (HHV) followed by the mixture of swine solids with rye grass and chicken litter. Relatively high S-containing gases were produced; dimethyl sulfide and methyl mercaptan concentrations were higher than the OSHA PEL limits. Biochar yield ranged from 43 to 49% based on dry weight with about 53% of carbon recovery. Whereas the HHV of the chicken litter biochar was slightly below that of low rank coals, swine-based biochars had HHVs between high and low rank coals. Approximately 50% of the feedstock energy was retained in biochar and 25% in produced gases. Manure biochars contained higher concentrations of P and K than that of original manure feedstocks. Consequently, these could be used as a low-grade fertilizer to improve ...

Keri B. Cantrell

Papers

Impact of pyrolysis temperature and manure source on physicochemical characteristics of biochar.

Biochar: a synthesis of its agronomic impact beyond carbon sequestration.

Livestock waste-to-bioenergy generation opportunities

Qualitative analysis of volatile organic compounds on biochar.

High-Temperature Pyrolysis of Blended Animal Manures for Producing Renewable Energy and Value-Added Biochar