From the Back Cover
This handbook discusses the latest developments in biorefinery technologies for waste-to-energy conversion. The growing global population and the accompanying increase in consumption and waste production make it urgent to find the best possible use of our resources. A sustainable waste management under the biorefinery concept has great potential to support a sustainable circular economy and green energy production.
This handbook is divided into four parts. First, the reader is introduced to the fundamentals and recent trends of waste-to-energy technologies. The second part describes in detail the current status, challenges, and potential of the different feedstocks used for waste-to-energy conversion. Here, municipal solid waste, sewage sludge, oils and greases generated during food preparation, industrial wastewaters, and agricultural wastes, to name a few, are introduced.
In the third part, numerous waste-to-energy technologies are discussed in detail, including anaerobic digestion, composting, gasification, plasma technology, thermal cracking, and others. Advantages and optimization potentials of these technologies for efficient residue management, quality and yield are highlighted.
Finally, the handbook discusses social, environmental and economic aspects of waste-to-energy biorefinery technologies. Readers will learn more about the major bottlenecks and solutions in bioenergy commercialization, the logistics of biomass supply and the carbon footprint of waste biorefineries. The ideas and technologies presented in this book contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of "Affordable and Clean Energy".
This book is a useful reference for postgraduate students and researchers interested in biorefinery and biofuel technologies, both in academia- and commercial laboratories. Early career scientists can use it to fast track into the field. Advanced scientists will find it helpful in gaining a broader overview of thefield beyond their area of specialization.
Prof. Eduardo Jacob-Lopes is currently associate professor at the Department of Food Technology and Science, Federal University of Santa Maria, Brazil. He has more than 18 years of teaching and research experience. He is a technical and scientific consultant of several companies, agencies, and scientific journals. He has more than 600 publications/communications and has registered 15 patents. His research interest includes biotechnology and bioengineering with emphasis on environmental biotechnology.
Prof. Leila Queiroz Zepka is currently an associate professor at the Department of Food Technology and Science, Federal University of Santa Maria, Brazil. She has more than 18 years of teaching and research experience. She is a technical and scientific consultant of several companies, agencies and scientific journals. She has 500 publications/communications and has registered 11 patents. Her research interest includes microalgal biotechnology with emphasis on biomolecules and novel products.
Dr. Mariany Costa Deprá is currently a researcher at the Department of Food Science and Technology, Federal University of Santa Maria, Brazil. She is a technical and scientific consultant of companies and scientific journals.With more than 100 publications/communications, her research interest includes process engineering with emphasis on sustainability metrics and indicators.
