An overview of biomass thermochemical conversion technologies in Malaysia

Abstract

The rising pressure on both cleaner production and sustainable development have been the main driving force that pushes mankind to seek for alternative greener and sustainable feedstocks for chemical and energy production. The biomass 'waste-to-wealth' concept which convert low value biomass into value-added products which contain high economic potential, have attracted the attentions from both academicians and industry players. With a tropical climate, Malaysia has a rich agricultural sector and dense tropical rainforest, giving rise to abundance of biomass which most of them are underutilized. Hence, the biomass 'waste-towealth' conversion through various thermochemical conversion technologies and the prospective challenges towards commercialization in Malaysia are reviewed in this paper. In this paper, a critical review about the maturity status of the four most promising thermochemical conversion routes in Malaysia (i.e. gasification, pyrolysis, liquefaction and hydroprocessing) is given. The current development of thermochemical conversion technologies for biomass conversion in Malaysia is also reviewed and benchmarked against global progress. Besides, the core technical challenges in commercializing these green technologies are highlighted as well. Lastly, the future outlook for successful commercialization of these technologies in Malaysia is included.

Overcoming Barriers to Agriculture Green Technology Diffusion through Stakeholders in China: A Social Network Analysis

“…In recent years, China has attached great importance to the development of green agriculture [ 4 ], and the trading market for agriculture green technology has gradually matured. The strength of research and development, maturity, usefulness and ease of use of agriculture green technology have also been reinforced by rigorous market testing and screening [ 51 ]. For farmers with a low level of cultural knowledge, its operability can still be effective, so it is less important than public awareness.…”

Review Chapter: Waste to Energy through Pyrolysis and Gasification in Brazil and Mexico

“…Pyrolysis and gasification are thermochemical conversion processes like combustion, where biomass is broken down into smaller hydrocarbon chains by applying heat and chemical interactions. Unlike combustion that only produces heat, pyrolysis and gasification produce components that can be turned into higher-value commercial products, for example, transportation fuels, chemicals, and fertilizers [6]. Below is a brief description of each technology.…”

Numerical Analysis with Simulations for Biomass Gasification

“…Biomass converting technology translates energy into more convenient and in some respects or implies cleaner fuel or other oil products [1]- [3]. It primarily includes direct burning, methane fermenting, gasification, alcohol fuel, liquefied pyrolysis, ancillary liquidized and organic fuel technologies, etc.…”