Converting Waste Agricultural Biomass into a Resource - UNEP

B. Major Waste Biomass Conversion Routes:
Acharya, on the initiatives of ADB on using waste biomass 10 , presented
major waste biomass conversion routes to energy in a flowchart. Based on
Acharya’s Biomass Conversion Routes, the following flowchart was
designed to include conversion technologies applicable only to agricultural
biomass wastes. The flowchart, which does not include routes for energy
crops and animal husbandry wastes, summarizes the entries on
technology conversion for energy in the Compendium. Mapping out
conversion processes down to energy products, the flowchart provides a
useful guide to end-users on which technology to consider given their
energy product requirement.
Chart I: Conversion Routes for Cellulosic Agricultural Biomass Waste
Thermo-chemical Conversion Biochemical Conversion
Combustion Gasification Pyrolysis
Liquefaction
Steam Gas Gas Oil Charcoal
C. Conversion to energy
Fermentation
Steam Gas turbine, Methanol/ Upgrading Distillation
Turbine combined hydrocarbons/
cycle engine synthesis
fuel cell Diesel Ethanol
Heat Electricity Fuels
Expanding the conversion routes to include the kind of biomass waste and
the specific energy product generated, Table 1 is produced to sum up
entries for Part I of the Compendium.
10 ADB’s Initiatives on Using Waste Biomass: Agricultural Waste Utilization Project in PRC, presented
during the UNEP-DAP International Expert Group Workshop on Compendium of EST for Converting
Waste Biomass into a Resource on Nov.13-14, 2007, at the Astoria Plaza, Pasig City, Philippines by Mr.
Jiwan Acharya, of the Energy, Transport, and Water Division of the Asian Development Bank
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