Biomass Torrefaction as a Key Driver for the Sustainable Development and Decarbonization of Energy Production

Leonel J. R. Nunes and João C. O. Matias
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Leonel J. R. Nunes: IPVC—Instituto Politécnico de Viana do Castelo, Rua da Escola Industrial e Comercial de Nun’Alvares, 4900-347 Viana do Castelo, Portugal
João C. O. Matias: DEGEIT—Departamento de Economia, Gestão, Engenharia Industrial e Turismo, Universidade de Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 3, 1-9

Abstract: Climate change is a reality that affects the daily lives of people around the world, with a set of effects that are systematically felt. If there is still discussion about the real cause behind these phenomena, with differing opinions defending the anthropic origin or the origin in terrestrial cycles of geological scale, it seems to be unanimously attributed to the increased concentration of greenhouse gases—particularly to CO 2 . That is, whatever the source of CO 2 , it is commonly accepted that this is the cause of the acceleration of the climate change process, and the occurrence of extreme climate phenomena. The use of energy from renewable sources, such as solar or wind, can contribute to the replacement of energy generated from fossil sources. However, these forms of energy are dependent on uncontrollable climatic factors and are, therefore, dependent on the existence of alternatives that, when in reserve, can be activated at any time as soon as the power grid requests their activation. Thus, biomass emerges as an alternative capable of providing this answer, although it also has numerous disadvantages. Torrefaction may be the technology that corrects these drawbacks and allows for the successful use of biomass in the replacement the coal used in power generation, contributing significantly to the reduction of CO 2 emissions. In addition to this possibility, it is necessary to introduce forest management models that effectively make use of all material flows generated during forestry operations, creating value-added chains, with a view toward a circular economy and resource sustainability.

Keywords: forest waste management; climate change; biomass energy; torrefaction (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

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