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Renewable resource
About: Renewable resource is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 3372 publications have been published within this topic receiving 122471 citations.
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TL;DR: 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.
4,162 citations
TL;DR: A review of second generation biodiesel production systems using microalgae can be found in this paper, where the main advantages of second-generation microalgal systems are that they: (1) have a higher photon conversion efficiency (as evidenced by increased biomass yields per hectare): (2) can be harvested batch-wise nearly all-year-round, providing a reliable and continuous supply of oil: (3) can utilize salt and waste water streams, thereby greatly reducing freshwater use: (4) can couple CO2-neutral fuel production with CO2 sequestration: (
Abstract: The use of fossil fuels is now widely accepted as unsustainable due to depleting resources and the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the environment that have already exceeded the “dangerously high” threshold of 450 ppm CO2-e. To achieve environmental and economic sustainability, fuel production processes are required that are not only renewable, but also capable of sequestering atmospheric CO2. Currently, nearly all renewable energy sources (e.g. hydroelectric, solar, wind, tidal, geothermal) target the electricity market, while fuels make up a much larger share of the global energy demand (∼66%). Biofuels are therefore rapidly being developed. Second generation microalgal systems have the advantage that they can produce a wide range of feedstocks for the production of biodiesel, bioethanol, biomethane and biohydrogen. Biodiesel is currently produced from oil synthesized by conventional fuel crops that harvest the sun’s energy and store it as chemical energy. This presents a route for renewable and carbon-neutral fuel production. However, current supplies from oil crops and animal fats account for only approximately 0.3% of the current demand for transport fuels. Increasing biofuel production on arable land could have severe consequences for global food supply. In contrast, producing biodiesel from algae is widely regarded as one of the most efficient ways of generating biofuels and also appears to represent the only current renewable source of oil that could meet the global demand for transport fuels. The main advantages of second generation microalgal systems are that they: (1) Have a higher photon conversion efficiency (as evidenced by increased biomass yields per hectare): (2) Can be harvested batch-wise nearly all-year-round, providing a reliable and continuous supply of oil: (3) Can utilize salt and waste water streams, thereby greatly reducing freshwater use: (4) Can couple CO2-neutral fuel production with CO2 sequestration: (5) Produce non-toxic and highly biodegradable biofuels. Current limitations exist mainly in the harvesting process and in the supply of CO2 for high efficiency production. This review provides a brief overview of second generation biodiesel production systems using microalgae.
2,254 citations
TL;DR: An up-to-date review of the literature available on the subject of liquid bio-fuels can be found in this article, which includes information based on the research conducted globally by scientists according to their local socio-cultural and economic situations.
1,948 citations
TL;DR: The combination of bio-fibers such as kenaf, hemp, flax, jute, henequen, pineapple leaf fiber, and sisal with polymer matrices from both nonrenewable and renewable resources to produce composite materials that are competitive with synthetic composites requires special attention as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: Sustainability, industrial ecology, eco-efficiency, and green chemistry are guiding the development of the next generation of materials, products, and processes. Biodegradable plastics and bio-based polymer products based on annually renewable agricultural and biomass feedstock can form the basis for a portfolio of sustainable, eco-efficient products that can compete and capture markets currently dominated by products based exclusively on petroleum feedstock. Natural/Biofiber composites (Bio-Composites) are emerging as a viable alternative to glass fiber reinforced composites especially in automotive and building product applications. The combination of biofibers such as kenaf, hemp, flax, jute, henequen, pineapple leaf fiber, and sisal with polymer matrices from both nonrenewable and renewable resources to produce composite materials that are competitive with synthetic composites requires special attention, i.e., biofiber–matrix interface and novel processing. Natural fiber–reinforced polypropylene composites have attained commercial attraction in automotive industries. Natural fiber—polypropylene or natural fiber—polyester composites are not sufficiently eco-friendly because of the petroleum-based source and the nonbiodegradable nature of the polymer matrix. Using natural fibers with polymers based on renewable resources will allow many environmental issues to be solved. By embedding biofibers with renewable resource–based biopolymers such as cellulosic plastics; polylactides; starch plastics; polyhydroxyalkanoates (bacterial polyesters); and soy-based plastics, the so-called green bio-composites are continuously being developed.
1,921 citations
Book•
01 Nov 2002
TL;DR: In this article, the authors define the concept of sustainable development as "the allocation of Depletable, Non-recyclable Energy Resources: Oil, Gas, Coal and Uranium".
Abstract: 1. Visions of the Future. 2. Valuing the Environment: Concepts. 3. Valuing the Environment: Methods. 4. Property Rights, Externalities, and Environmental Problems. 5. Sustainable Development: Defining the Concept. 6. The Population Problem. 7. The Allocation of Depletable and Renewable Resources. 8. Depletable, Non-recyclable Energy Resources: Oil, Gas, Coal and Uranium. 9. Recyclable Resources: Minerals, Paper, Glass, etc. 10. Replenishable but Depletable Resources: Water. 11. Reproducible Private-Property Resources: Agriculture. 12. Storable, Renewable Resources: Forests. 13. Renewable Common-Property Resources: Fisheries and Other Species. 14. Generalized Resource Scarcity. 15. Economics of Pollution Control: An Overview. 16. Stationary-Source Local Air Pollution. 17. Regional and Global Air Pollutants: Acid Rain and Atmospheric Modification. 18. Mobile -Source Air Pollution. 19. Water Pollution. 20. Toxic Substances. 21. Environmental Justice. 22. Development, Poverty, and the Environment. 23. The Quest for Sustainable Development. 24. Visions of the Future Revisited.
1,607 citations