Assessment of Environmental Impacts of Tar Releases from a Biomass Gasifier Power Plant for Decentralized Electricity Generation

Chidikofan, Grâce Floriane; Benoist, Anthony; Sawadogo, Marie; Volle, Ghislaine; Valette, Jérémy; Coulibaly, Yézouma; Pailhès, Jérôme; Pinta, François

doi:10.1016/j.egypro.2017.07.034

Cited by 12 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…Thermal decomposition of biomass leads to formation of a wide variety of compounds that can represent an environmental risk if not properly handled. Bio-oil and tars contain compounds toxic to humans and ecosystems [106,186]. Biochar can contain PAHs and VOCs sorbed on its surface that can be toxic to soil biota and induce physiological responses in plants, such as affecting seed germination and nutrient uptake [51,86,120].…”

Section: Biochar Productionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Potentials, Limitations, Co-Benefits, and Trade-Offs of Biochar Applications to Soils for Climate Change Mitigation

Tisserant

Cherubini

2019

Land

107

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Biochar is one of the most affordable negative emission technologies (NET) at hand for future large-scale deployment of carbon dioxide removal (CDR), which is typically found essential to stabilizing global temperature rise at relatively low levels. Biochar has also attracted attention as a soil amendment capable of improving yield and soil quality and of reducing soil greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In this work, we review the literature on biochar production potential and its effects on climate, food security, ecosystems, and toxicity. We identify three key factors that are largely affecting the environmental performance of biochar application to agricultural soils: (1) production condition during pyrolysis, (2) soil conditions and background climate, and (3) field management of biochar. Biochar production using only forest or crop residues can achieve up to 10% of the required CDR for 1.5 ∘ C pathways and about 25% for 2 ∘ C pathways; the consideration of dedicated crops as biochar feedstocks increases the CDR potential up to 15–35% and 35–50%, respectively. A quantitative review of life-cycle assessment (LCA) studies of biochar systems shows that the total climate change assessment of biochar ranges between a net emission of 0.04 tCO 2 eq and a net reduction of 1.67 tCO 2 eq per tonnes feedstock. The wide range of values is due to different assumptions in the LCA studies, such as type of feedstock, biochar stability in soils, soil emissions, substitution effects, and methodological issues. Potential trade-offs between climate mitigation and other environmental impact categories include particulate matter, acidification, and eutrophication and mostly depend on the background energy system considered and on whether residues or dedicated feedstocks are used for biochar production. Overall, our review finds that biochar in soils presents relatively low risks in terms of negative environmental impacts and can improve soil quality and that decisions regarding feedstock mix and pyrolysis conditions can be optimized to maximize climate benefits and to reduce trade-offs under different soil conditions. However, more knowledge on the fate of biochar in freshwater systems and as black carbon emissions is required, as they represent potential negative consequences for climate and toxicity. Biochar systems also interact with the climate through many complex mechanisms (i.e., surface albedo, black carbon emissions from soils, etc.) or with water bodies through leaching of nutrients. These effects are complex and the lack of simplified metrics and approaches prevents their routine inclusion in environmental assessment studies. Specific emission factors produced from more sophisticated climate and ecosystem models are instrumental to increasing the resolution and accuracy of environmental sustainability analysis of biochar systems and can ultimately improve the characterization of the heterogeneities of varying local conditions and combinations of type feedstock, conversion process, soil conditions, and application practice.

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Section: Biochar Productionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Potentials, Limitations, Co-Benefits, and Trade-Offs of Biochar Applications to Soils for Climate Change Mitigation

Tisserant

Cherubini

2019

Land

107

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“…The performed ecotoxicity tests confirmed the negative effect of the presence in soil of leachates from the gasification process ( Figure 12). Results of studies conducted by Chidikofan et al [37] not only confirmed the environmental risk associated with introducing such liquid waste to environment, they also showed that negative effects of discharge to water are even stronger than those for soil.…”

Section: Phytotoxicity Testsmentioning

confidence: 87%

“…Leachates obtained from individual objects probably did not differ in the proportions of chemical substances that formed their composition. Such differences without doubt occur between tars from different biomass types [37].…”

Section: Phytotoxicity Testsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gasification of Cup Plant (Silphium perfoliatum L.) Biomass–Energy Recovery and Environmental Impacts

et al. 2020

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Biomass from cup plant (Silphium perfoliatum L.) is considered a renewable energy source that can be converted into alternative fuel. Calorific syngas, a promising type of advanced fuel, can be produced through thermochemical biomass gasification. In this study, the suitability of cup plant biomass for gasification was assessed, including the process energy balance and environmental impacts of waste from syngas purification. Silphium perfoliatum L. was cultivated as a gasification feedstock in different conditions (irrigation, fertilization). The experiments were performed in a membrane gasifier. All obtained energy parameters were compared to the biomass yield per hectare. The toxic effects of liquid waste were assessed using tests analyzing germination/seed root elongation of Sinapsis alba. Leachates collected from condensation tanks of a gas generator were introduced to soil at the following doses: 100, 1000 and 10,000 mg kg−1 DM of soil. The usefulness of Silphium perfoliatum L. for gasification was confirmed. The factors of plant cultivation affected the biomass yield, the volume and calorific value of syngas and the amount of biochar. It was determined that the components found in condensates demonstrate a phytotoxic effect, restricting or inhibiting germination and root elongation of Sinapsis alba. Due to this potential hazard, the possibility of its release to the environment should be limited. Most of the biomass is only used for heating purposes, but the syngas obtained from the cup plant can be used to power cogeneration systems, which, apart from heat, also generate electricity.

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Bibliometric analysis of the research landscape on rice husks gasification (1995–2019)

Nyakuma

Wong

Mong

et al. 2021

Environ Sci Pollut Res

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Assessment of Environmental Impacts of Tar Releases from a Biomass Gasifier Power Plant for Decentralized Electricity Generation

Cited by 12 publications

References 8 publications

Potentials, Limitations, Co-Benefits, and Trade-Offs of Biochar Applications to Soils for Climate Change Mitigation

Potentials, Limitations, Co-Benefits, and Trade-Offs of Biochar Applications to Soils for Climate Change Mitigation

Gasification of Cup Plant (Silphium perfoliatum L.) Biomass–Energy Recovery and Environmental Impacts

Bibliometric analysis of the research landscape on rice husks gasification (1995–2019)

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