Bioenergy: Biomass to Biofuels and Waste to Energy

Bioenergy

Biomass to Biofuels and Waste to Energy

Second Edition

Editor

Anju Dahiya, PhD

Table of Contents

Cover image

Title page

Copyright

Dedication

List of Contributors

Foreword to the second edition

Foreword to the first edition

Preface

Acknowledgments

How to use this book: helpful suggestions

Part I. Bioenergy - biomass to biofuels: An overview

Part 1 Bioenergy—biomass to biofuels: an overview

Terms, definitions, and fuel specifications in this book

First, second, and third generations of biofuels

Chapter 1. Introduction to bioenergy and waste to energy

Purpose

Introduction

Bioenergy defined

Bioenergy development and drivers

Feedstocks

Biomass materials and sources

Biomass supply and availability

Overview of conversion technologies

Co-products and by-products

Social, economic, and environmental impacts

Sustainability challenges

Conclusion

Chapter 2. Introduction to biodiesel and glossary of terms

Biodiesel standards

BQ-9000 fuel quality program

Chapter 3. Biomass to biofuels: glossary of terms and conversion factors

Glossary of terms

Part II. Wood and grass biomass as biofuels

Part 2 Wood and grass biomass as biofuels

Chapter 4. Wood bioenergy

Introduction to wood bioenergy

Wood energy sources: a vast and renewable resource

Wood bioenergy uses in the United States and worldwide

Values and benefits of wood bioenergy

Wood energy sources

Managing wood biomass for bioenergy

Harvesting, transporting, and storing woody biomass for bioenergy

Utilizing woody biomass

Direct combustion options

Liquid and gaseous biofuel conversion options

Biochemical technological processes

Thermochemical processes

Economics of woody bioenergy

Economics of woody bioenergy production

Sustainability of woody bioenergy

Summary

Chapter 5. Perennial grass biomass production and utilization

Introduction

Developing and evaluating a perennial grass biomass system

Feedstock supply

Plant species used for perennial herbaceous biomass

Biomass conversion

Feedstock quality characteristics for grass biomass

Environmental impact of grass biomass

Economic considerations for grass biomass

The future

Chapter 6. Wood and grass energy service learning projects and case studies

Chapter 6A. The Vermont biomass energy co-op

Chapter 6B. Assessment of 130-acre property for on-site biomass resources to meet the energy needs of the community

Chapter 6C. Exploration of the Jean Pain composting method for greenhouse heating

Part III. Biomass to liquid biofuels

Part 3 Biomass to liquid biofuels

Chapter 7. Bioenergy crops

Introduction

Economics

A crop-by-crop analysis

Cellulosic crops

Crop handling and logistics

Sustainable management for biomass production

Conclusion

Acronyms used in Chapter 7, Bioenergy Crops

Chapter 8. On-farm oil-based biodiesel production

Introduction

Species and variety selection

Harvesting, cleaning, drying, and storage of seed

Oil extraction and by-products

Challenges and opportunities with farm-based fuel production

Examples of on-farm fuel systems

Chapter 9. Life-cycle assessment: the energy return on invested of biodiesel

Introduction

EROI approaches and controversies

Purpose

Data and methods

EROI of Vermont biodiesel

Considerations

Conclusions

Appendices

Chapter 10. Energy management during field production practices

Introduction and overview

Ballasting/slip/tire inflation

Maintenance

Transmission

Fuel saving operational techniques

Tractor selection

Other issues

Chapter 11. Cellulosic ethanol—biofuel beyond corn

Introduction

Cellulose as ethanol feedstock

Challenges in cellulosic ethanol

Plant biotechnology

Pretreatment

Hydrolysis

Fermentation

Conclusion

Chapter 12. Bioheat

Biodiesel

Properties of heating oil and bioheat

Fuel related service calls

Four steps to successful Bioheat management

Quick tests for fuel quality

Oil filtration

Fuel additive treatment

Preventative maintenance

Sources

Chapter 13. Algae biomass cultivation for advanced biofuel production

Introduction

Algae as a sustainable feedstock for multiple uses

Historical perspective of algae biomass and journey toward algal biofuel

Possibilities of biofuel production from algae biomass

Algae strain selection: algae types, strains, and use in biofuel production

Microalgae

Algae cultivation: growth systems

Algae harvesting

Oil extraction from harvested algae biomass

Challenges in upscaling of algal biofuel operations from bench to commercial scales

Integrated algal biofuel production

Life-cycle analysis, economics, and environmental impacts

Conclusion

Chapter 14. Biomass to liquid biofuels service learning projects and case studies

Acknowledgments

Chapter 14A. Cost analysis of oilseed production for biodiesel and the volatility in corn and crude

Chapter 14B. Thermal heating fuel switch

Chapter 14C. Mobile ethanol distillery unit: a feasibility study

Part IV. Gaseous fuels and biopower

Part 4 Gaseous fuels and biopower

Chapter 15. Thermal gasification of biomass—a primer

Introduction

Classification of gas mixtures

Chemical concepts and background

Heating values of gases and gas mixtures

Measures of gas production performance

Pyrolysis

Thermochemical pathways

Gasifier types

Postgasification processing

Integrated gasification combined cycles

Chapter 16. Basics of energy production through anaerobic digestion of livestock manure

Introduction

What makes an operation appropriate for anaerobic digestion?

Conclusion

Chapter 17. Bioenergy and anaerobic digestion

Introduction

The anaerobic digestion process

Feedstocks

The process of starting a digester

Loading rate

Operation and control of a digester

Role of mixing in biogas production

Types of anaerobic digesters

Conclusion

Chapter 18. Gaseous fuels and bioelectricity service learning projects and case studies

Chapter 18A. Effect of daily variation in food waste on biogas production during anaerobic digestion

Chapter 18B. Potential for anaerobic digestion in meeting statewide energy needs

Chapter 18C. Biomass gasification as a strategy for rural electrification in developing nations: lessons from the field

Part V. Waste to energy

Part 5 Waste to energy

Chapter 19. Waste not, want not: analyzing the economic and environmental viability of waste-to-energy technology for site-specific optimization of renewable energy options

Waste-to-energy model for NREL’s renewable energy optimization tool

Life-cycle assessments for municipal waste combustion

Air emission limits for municipal waste combustors

Appendix A: Description of municipal solid waste in the Renewable Energy Optimization GIS data tool

Chapter 20. Community-based organic waste diversion for composting and heat recovery

Introduction

Municipal and community composting

Case studies: composting at municipal scale

Community composting

Case studies: composting at community scale

Heat recovery from composting

Case studies: heat recovery from composting

Summary

Chapter 21. Straight vegetable oil as a diesel fuel?

Performance of SVO

Biodiesel: fuel made from SVO

Chapter 22. Waste to energy service learning projects and case studies

Chapter 22A. The Vermont–Haiti biochar project

Chapter 22B. Livestock manure to heat generation

Chapter 22C. Alternative fuel and plastic waste management

Chapter 22D. Analyzing use of the Jean Pain compost-heat method for a greenhouse on button farm

Chapter 22E. Waste to energy: waste wood biomass energy

Chapter 23. Biodiesel production

Introduction

Production processes

Feedstocks used in biodiesel production

Biodiesel production process options

Noncatalyzed systems—biox process

Summary

Post reaction processing

Ester/glycerol separation

Process equipment for the ester/glycerol separation

Ester washing

Other ester treatments

Additization of esters

Treatment and recovery of side streams

Methanol management

Glycerol refining

Wastewater considerations

Summary

Biodiesel production summary

Part VI. Conversion pathways for cost-effective biofuel production

Part 6 Conversion pathways for cost-effective biofuel production

Chapter 24. Synthesis and partial characterization of biodiesel via base-catalyzed transesterification

Introduction

Materials

Hazards

Experimental procedure

Results and discussion

Conclusion

Chapter 25. Whole algal biomass in situ transesterification to fatty acid methyl esters as biofuel feedstocks

Introduction

Microalgae-focused lipid technologies for biofuel applications

Renewable and biodiesel fuel properties

In situ transesterification of oleaginous algal biomass

Choice of catalyst for in situ whole biomass transesterification

Analytical characterization of lipid content in algal biomass using in situ transesterification

Conclusions

Chapter 26. How fuel ethanol is made from corn

Introduction

Fuel ethanol

Yeast's role in ethanol production

Corn as ethanol feedstock

Industrial ethanol production

Wet milling

Dry grind

Dry-grind ethanol processing steps

Milling

Liquefaction

Saccharification

Fermentation

Distillation and recovery

Energy use in ethanol production

Conclusions

Chapter 27. Small-scale approaches for evaluating biomass bioconversion for fuels and chemicals

Introduction

Types of biomass

Treatment of biomass

Mechanical treatments

No pretreatment

Chemical/thermal pretreatment

Organic pretreatment

Biological pretreatment

Examples of small-scale pretreatment

Biomass analysis

Small-scale biomass fermentation approaches

Analysis of fermentation results

Identification of fermentation inhibition

Concluding thoughts

Chapter 28. Reducing enzyme costs, novel combinations, and advantages of enzymes could lead to improved cost-effective biofuels' production

Quick facts

Key research results

Key research results

Chapter 29. Pyrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass: oil, char, and gas

Introduction

Types of thermochemical conversion

Lignocellulosic structure and chemistry for pyrolysis

Biomass pyrolysis reactor design and modeling strategies

Applications of pyrolysis products

Conclusion

Chapter 30. Sustainable aviation biofuels—A development and deployment success model

Aviation alternative fuel 2006 snapshot: what if your family were an airline?

Aviation alternative fuel 2013 snapshot: acknowledged leader in sustainable transport fuels

Specifically

Streamlining the fuel qualification process

Implementing comprehensive risk management in alternative fuels research and development

Structuring and facilitating comprehensive environment benefits assessments

Deploying a a new fuel dynamic through public/private partnership, and multiple-success models.

Closing summary

Chapter 31. Cutting-edge biofuel conversion technologies to integrate into petroleum-based infrastructure and integrated biorefineries

Biodiesel as renewable diesel

Biodiesel versus petroleum diesel

Processing pathways for conversion of biofuel into diesel fuel

Challenges from FAME use as an alternative to diesel fuels in existing infrastructure

Issues due to the presence of oxygen in biofuel and possible solutions

Renewable diesel processing

Fuel properties of hydroprocessed diesel product

Integration with existing refineries or to form new integrated biorefineries

Commercialization of renewable diesel

Hydroprocessed renewable jet fuel

Future utilization of biocrudes and Coprocessing concerns

Integrated biorefinery

Conclusion

Chapter 32. Biofuel conversion pathways service learning projects and case studies

Chapter 32A. Biodiesel project: an educational experience converting waste cooking oil to biodiesel

Chapter 32B. Use of magnetite for enhanced harvesting of wastewater biogas feedstock

Chapter 32C. Fungal breakdown of lignocellulosic biomass in Vermont

Part VII. Biofuels economics, sustainability, environmental and policy

Part 7 Biofuels economics, sustainability, environmental and policy

Chapter 33. Biofuel economics and policy: The Renewable Fuel Standard in 2018

The renewable fuel standard

The blend wall

Point of obligation

California low carbon fuel standard

Aviation biofuels

Alternatives to the current situation

Chapter 34. Economics of ethanol and biodiesel

Agricultural economy

Economics of biofuels

Farm-scale production

Chapter 35. Fuel quality policy

Chapter 36. Renewable oilheat

The new england home heating market: past, present, and future

The search for a better fuel

Advanced wood heating

Case study: Bourne's energy

About the author

Chapter 37. What's so different about biodiesel fuel?

Introduction

Properties of biodiesel versus petroleum diesel

Does the type of vegetable oil used matter?

Making biodiesel better with additives

What about blends?

Summary

Chapter 38. Biodiesel emissions and health effects testing

Biodiesel emissions

Health effects testing

Chapter 39. Biodiesel sustainability fact sheet

Sustainability principles

Energy balance

Water conservation

Land conservation

Food supply security

Diversity

Cleaner air and health effects

Chapter 40. Entrepreneurial opportunities in bioenergy

Bioenergy entrepreneurism

The energy situation now and in the future

Bioenergy entrepreneurship motivations

Market drivers

Opportunities in bioenergy: biofuel value chain

Opportunities in small-scale bioenergy

Opportunities in large-scale bioenergy

Opportunities at the periphery

Challenges

Chapter 41. Integrated agroecological technology networks for food, bioenergy, and biomaterial production

Introduction

Agriculture and bioenergy

The role of industrial ecology in CFEA design and evaluation

Measuring CFEA performance in a competitive world

Participatory action research for CFEA primary data collection

Analysis of ecotechnologies for vermont-based CFEA

Key aspects of regionally appropriate ecotechnologies

CFEA case study: the Burlington area agro-eco park concept

Land resources

Dairy-centric process

Composting

Gardens, forests, and aquaponics

Waste heat utilization

Additional ecotechnologies for the agro-eco park

Modeling of unit operations for economic projections

Case study conclusion

Conclusion

Part VIII Quizzes

Quizzes and self-test questions

Index

Copyright

Academic Press is an imprint of Elsevier

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Copyright © 2020 Anju Dahiya. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Details on how to seek permission, further information about the Publisher’s permissions policies and our arrangements with organizations such as the Copyright Clearance Center and the Copyright Licensing Agency, can be found at our website: www.elsevier.com/permissions.

This book and the individual contributions contained in it are protected under copyright by the Publisher (other than as may be noted herein).

Notices

Knowledge and best practice in this field are constantly changing. As new research and experience broaden our understanding, changes in research methods, professional practices, or medical treatment may become necessary.

Practitioners and researchers must always rely on their own experience and knowledge in evaluating and using any information, methods, compounds, or experiments described herein. In using such information or methods they should be mindful of their own safety and the safety of others, including parties for whom they have a professional responsibility.

To the fullest extent of the law, neither the Publisher nor the authors, contributors, or editors, assume any liability for any injury and/or damage to persons or property as a matter of products liability, negligence or otherwise, or from any use or operation of any methods, products, instructions, or ideas contained in the material herein.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Dahiya, Anju, author.

Bioenergy: biomass to biofuels / Anju Dahiya, Plant & Soil Science, Jeffords Hall, Burlington, VT. pages cm

ISBN 978-0-12-815497-7 (hardback)

1. Biomass energy. I. Title.

TP339.D34 2015

662′.88–dc23

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN: 978-0-12-815497-7

For information on all Academic Press publications visit our website at https://www.elsevier.com/books-and-journals

Publisher: Joe Hayton

Acquisitions Editor: Peter Adamson

Editorial Project Manager: Joanna Collett

Production Project Manager: Nirmala Arumugam

Cover Designer: Greg Harris

Typeset by TNQ Technologies

Dedication

Dedicated to the man who was ahead of his time and lived with a very big heart, who approached life with strength, dignity, compassion, and above all with selfless love.

Who changed many lives for the better!

To my dear father, a guiding star!

Jaikishan Dahiya!

Papa, here's a follow-up secret note to you (you would say congratulations and ☺)

In 2010, I had started envisioning this book just after delivering the Bioenergy course. The next year, the Father's Day 2011 was on June 19th around when the first time during that summer. I shared my intension of putting together the first edition of book (interview with Advanced Biofuels USA—published June 20th). The following year, Father's Day was so empty for me I did not know how to wish you—with tears or gratitude. I somehow managed to meditate on this book and formalized the agreement. On June 15, 2014, which was the Father's Day, I had completed the final touches on the first edition of this book, and after going through the publisher's process it was released in the following year.

I can only imagine how proud you would have felt holding that book in your hands. (I know in spirit you did!) And after looking through it you would have said, So nice! … (And after a pause) … What's next? Hmm my answer would have been how's the technology of growing fuel sounds? I know you would give a thumbs up!

I cannot believe how much time has flown by since the first edition of this book. Just this past year, on 2018 Father's Day, I wanted to fill you in with the progress—the technology of growing fuel is still under process, and also, it is time for the second edition. Here it is! All set to fly.

Cheers Pa!

And yes, Happy Father's Day 2019!

Anju

List of Contributors

Chapter Authors

Bioenergy – Biomass to Biofuels Program student Contributors

Contributing Organizations

Editor & Author

Chapter Authors

Part I Bioenergy - Biomass to Biofuels: an Overview

Dr. Carol L. Williams,     Research Scientist, Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin – Madison

Pam Porter,     Midwest Office Director, Environmental Resource Center, University of Wisconsin – Madison

Dr. Anju Dahiya

Part II Wood and Grass Biomass as Biofuels

Dr. William G. Hubbard,     Southern Regional Extension Forester, Southern Regional Extension Forestry, The University of Georgia

Dr. Sidney C. Bosworth,     Professor, Agronomist, Plant and Soil Science Department, UVM Extension, University of Vermont

Part III Biomass to Liquid Biofuels

Dennis Pennington,     Senior Bioenergy Educator, Michigan State University Extension

Dr. Heather M. Darby,     Associate Professor, University of Vermont Extension

Christopher W. Callahan,     Engineer / Extension Assistant Professor of Agricultural Engineering, University of Vermont Extension

Dr. Eric L. Garza,     Lecturer, University of Vermont

Dr. H. Mark Hanna,     Extension Agricultural Engineer, Ag & Biosystems Engineering, Iowa State University

M. Sanford Scott, M.Eng ,     Sr. Outreach Specialist, Rural Energy Program, Biological Systems Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Dr. Nathan S. Mosier,     Associate Professor Agricultural & Biological Engineering/Lorr, Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Purdue University

Robert G. Hedden,     NORA Director of Education, National Oilheat Research Alliance (NORA), Efficient Heating Consultant and Educator

Dr. Anju Dahiya

Part IV Gaseous Fuels and Biopower

Dr. Robert G. Jenkins,     Professor Emeritus CEng, The School of Engineering, University of Vermont

Klein E. Ileleji,     Associate Professor of Agricultural & Biological Engineering, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering (by Courtesy), Extension Engineer in Agricultural & Biological Engineering, Department of Agricultural & Biological Engineering, Purdue University

Chad Martin,     Renewable Energy Extension Specialist, Department of Agricultural & Biological Engineering, Purdue University

Don Jones,     Professor and Extension Agricultural Engineer, Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Purdue University

Dana M. Kirk,     Assistant Professor and Manager, Anaerobic Digestion and Research Education Center (ADREC), Michigan State University

M. Charles Gould,     Extension Educator-Agricultural Bioenergy and Energy Conservation, Agriculture and Agribusiness Institute, Michigan State University

Dr. Anju Dahiya

Part V Waste to Energy

Kip Funk,     National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Jana Milford,     University of Colorado at Boulder

Travis Simpkins,     National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Natasha Duarte,     Director, Composting Association of Vermont

Athena Lee Bradley,     Windham Solid Waste Management District, Brattleboro

Dr. Anju Dahiya

Part VI Conversion Pathways for Cost-Effective Biofuel Production

Rudy Pruszko,     Industrial Specialist, Center for Industrial Research and Service at Iowa State University, Account manager, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, CIRAS

Sean M. McCarthy,     Department of Chemistry, University of Vermont

Jonathan H. Melman,     Department of Chemistry, University of Vermont

Omar K. Reffell,     Department of Chemistry, University of Vermont

Dr. Scott W. Gordon-Wylie,     Former Chemistry Professor, Department of Chemistry, University of Vermont, Founder & CEO, Green Technologies Inc.

Dr. Anju Dahiya

Dr. Lieve M.L. Laurens,     Senior Research Scientist, Bioprocess Research and Development Group, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Department of Energy

Dr. Jonathan R. Mielenz,     Former Senior Staff Scientist & Group Leader, Bioconversion Research Group, Bioscience Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), President and Chief Scientific Officer, White Cliff Biosystems Co., Director at the Society for Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology

M. Brennan Pecha,     Doctoral Candidate, Biological Systems Engineering, Washington State University

Dr. Manuel Garcia-Perez,     Assistant Professor/Scientist, Adjunct Faculty, Biological Systems Engineering , Washington State University

Richard Altman,     Executive Director Emeritus, Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuel Association

Dr. Anju Dahiya

Part VII Biofuels Economics, Sustainability, Environmental and Policy

Dr. Wallace E. Tyner,     James and Lois Ackerman Professor, Department of Agricultural Economics, Purdue University

Dr. Bob Parsons,     Professor - Extension Ag Economist, Department of Community Development and Applied Economics, University of Vermont Extension

Matthew Cota,     Executive Director, Vermont Fuel Dealers Association

F. John Hay,     Extension Educator – Energy, Department of Biosystems Engineering, University of Nebraska Lincoln Extension

Daniel Ciolkosz,     Penn State Biomass Energy Center and Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, USA

Samuel M. Gorton, E.I.T. ,     Former Director of Engineering, Hydro Recovery LP, PhD Student, Rubenstein School of Environment & Natural Resources, University of Vermont

Dr. Anju Dahiya

Bioenergy – Biomass to Biofuels Program student Contributors

Wood and Grass energy related Service Learning Projects & Case Studies:

Tom Tailer,     Executive Director, Vermont Sustainable Heating Initiative

Ron McGarvey,     Former Director, Residential Energy Services, Efficiency Vermont

Heather M. Snow,     Founder, Addie's Acres, Vermont

Liquid Biofuels related Service Learning Projects & Case Studies:

Chuck Custeau,     Loan Officer, Yankee Farm Credit, Vermont

Ethan Bellavance,     Energy Consultant, Engineering, Efficiency Vermont

Tracey McCowen,     Doctoral candidate, University of Vermont

Gaseous fuels related Service Learning Projects & Case Studies:

Samantha Csapilla,     Technician, Avatar Energy LLC

Grant Troester,     Student, University of Vermont

Adam Riggen,     Student, University of Vermont

Ariadne Brancato,     Student, University of Vermont

Deandra Perruccio,     Graduate student, Community Development and Applied Economics, University of Vermont

Waste to Energy related Service learning & Case Studies

Olivia Hart,     Student, University of Vermont

Dan Gutberlet,     Student, University of Vermont

Justin Freitas,     Student, University of Vermont

Isabel Lisle,     Student, University of Vermont

Matt Jackson,     Student, University of Vermont

Annie Reagan,     Student, University of Vermont

Brian Zohn,     Student, University of Vermont

Jess Sheridan,     Student, University of Vermont

Roz Aronow,     Student, University of Vermont

Ryan Van Horn,     Student, University of Vermont

Alec Moloznik,     Student, University of Vermont

Ian Beall,     Student, University of Vermont

Irma Cicak,     Student, University of Vermont

Kate Heilenbach,     Student, University of Vermont

Allison McGovern,     Student, University of Vermont

Hannah Meharg,     Student, University of Vermont

Adam Companion,     Student, University of Vermont

Mike Militi,     Student, University of Vermont

Amanda Lindley,     Student, University of Vermont

Claire MacIntyre,     Student, University of Vermont

Eric Beaudet,     Student, University of Vermont

Miranda Evarts,     Student, University of Vermont

Fuel conversion related Service Learning Projects & Case Studies:

Richard O. Barwin,     Animal Science Teacher, High School, Vermont

William R. Riggs,     Environmental Studies Student, University of Vermont

John C. O’Shea,     Environmental Studies Student, University of Vermont

Thomas G. Joslin, PE ,     Environmental Engineer, Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation

Vanessia B. Lam,     Student, University of Vermont

Richard P. Smith,     Engineering student, University of Vermont

Contributing Organizations

National Biodiesel Board

National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). US Department of Energy

Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, U.S. Department of Energy

Editor and Author

Dr. Anju Dahiya,     Bioenergy Instructor, University of Vermont, President and Chief Science officer, GSR Solutions LLC

Foreword to the second edition

When the first edition of Bioenergy: Biomass to Biofuels appeared, Richard Altman, Executive Director Emeritus of the Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative, said to me This is the most thorough and broadest case study based summary of biomass to bioenergy projects that I have encountered.

That is the highest form of praise from one of the Dalai Lamas of the industry, and we might ask ourselves what about this book has led to it being considered the gold standard by a very large number of people who absolutely know the difference between something good and something great.

Three things come to mind.

First, it is comprehensive. It's the only introductory book to cover solid, liquid, and gaseous bioenergy, emphasizing cutting-edge topics such as microbial fuels and biogas. It provides integrated coverage from feedstocks to conversion processes to integrated sustainability assessments and economic analysis—featuring case studies for each topic, drawn from real implementation projects.

Second, it is authoritative. Dr. Anju Dahiya has assembled a reasonably wondrous collective of experts from the biofuels industry, farms, and the university faculty to provide hands on experience working with all possible renewable bioenergy options: liquid biofuels (biodiesel including oil seeds; ethanol, algae oil), solid biomass (woody biomass and grass energy), and biogas.

Third, at the time, it was incredibly current. Bioenergy is the fastest moving among all industries. Every day, we read of huge advances in materials, genetics, sustainability studies, processing, agriculture, synthetic biology, robotics, intelligence, data storage, data processing, and machine learning. Each of these areas is part of huge industries, and all of them translate almost instantly into the bioenergy business because of the complex nature of developing a supply chain from something in the ground to something in a vehicle.

Which brings us to the present, and change is happening fast, and fast is getting faster. And now, along comes this second edition to incorporate all the advances that have been happening in the minutes, hours, and months since the original publication. It keeps this classic book relevant, and it's timely and important that a second edition is appearing.

Every day, we see and hear the calls from consumers and the retailers who serve them for a new way of powering our civilization, for a more sustainable path. Few want to turn back the clock to the days before abundant and affordable energy allowed our civilization to bring us better lifestyles, health, and opportunities through mobility, advanced manufacturing, trade, communications, and information.

But we see the impacts, and though many say they are fighting for Planet Earth in promoting sustainability through renewable fuels, Earth will be just fine no matter what we do. We are fighting for the advantaged conditions which led to our rise as a human race—we are fighting to preserve our niche. It is not just the prospect of rising temperatures and rising seas. It is rainfall patterns, and when the rain shifts, the rivers shift with them, and the ports along those rivers and the roads that connect them find themselves in the wrong place. The world is replete with civilizations buried under the dirt or sand or dust because of changing conditions, and bioenergy has the promise to delay and moderate those changes. While preserving the economy we have built up around affordable transportation.

The most effective way to adapt to changing conditions is to find ways to use the infrastructure we have already built, in a repurposed way. We convert old factories to office space and offices to loft apartments; we repurpose software for new routines and reengineer microbes to produce new materials. We are a conservative civilization in the way that we recycle and reuse, and that is the special promise of bioenergy, because it is the advanced transportation technology that most easily allows us to adapt our existing refineries, pipelines, tanks, dispensers, and vehicles. It is not the only solution, but it is an important part of the shift toward a sustainable economy, which will be part circular economy, part bioeconomy.

In order to realize these benefits, we have to endow our best minds with the best knowledge we can, as quickly and as thoroughly as possible, with the best practices we know, in how to make bioenergy.

In the liquid energy market, it's no longer enough to have fuels which are affordable and available but not sustainable, or sustainable and available but not affordable. We have lived for a long time on two out of three—now, customers around the world are demanding that we deliver three. Affordable, sustainable, and available is not only about setting goals, or developing technology, but training a generation in how to translate science into the sustainable products and platforms. And doing so in an intelligent way that is lucid, logical, and concise.

First comes the reading, then comes the scientist, and then comes the result. It has been that way since the dawn of time, and therefore we always begin with the same beginning, the document that best summarizes and transfers the knowledge.

In our field, at this time, Bioenergy: Biomass to Biofuels and Waste to Energy has become one of those essential texts. For its readers, it serves the tactical goal of opening up opportunities for jobs, gigs, projects, assignments, and career advancement. For the broader society, it serves the strategic goal of cogently preparing a new generation of scientists for the work that must be done, and done well, and done now, to reset our society on a platform of sustainability so that we might continue to advance prosperity, gain knowledge, and find happiness.

Worthy goals that begin with the ancient and singular act of undertaking a journey to knowledge, and in our time, in our sector, we will not find a better guide for the willing student of any age than Bioenergy: Biomass to Biofuels and Waste to Energy. Written by the right people, on the right topic, at the right time—it's a must-read.

Jim Lane

Editor and Publisher, The Digest

Foreword to the first edition

When giving a talk about advanced biofuels, more often than not, my first question to a group, What do you think of when you hear the word, biofuel? elicits corn ethanol as the primary response (if they have any idea about biofuels at all).

That answer certainly makes sense where the predominant biofuel is corn ethanol; however, it also illustrates the general public's limited understanding of key elements of a successful transition toward a renewable energy future, the multiplicity of feedstocks to make a diverse array of fuels using a variety of conversion technologies.

Thus, my excitement and eager anticipation have led to a text that covers a wide range of renewable energy topics including renewable transportation fuels; a text that mixes the science and technology, the research and development, with practical aspects of deployment, and a text about biofuels that recognizes the importance of exploring all three legs of the sustainability stool: environmental, social, and economic.

Too often we forget that if everyone along the value chain cannot make a living, environmentally beneficial practices are doomed to fail. The world we live in today, our global society, relies on business interactions, even if they are financed by governments. We cannot rely on altruism, good works, or even on enlightened public policies to effect a successful transition from fossil fuels to renewables. Economic incentives with entrenched policy preferences in coal, gas, and oil underpin the world's energy systems. As so many involved with renewable energy have found out the hard way, competition in price and performance is key to a true transition to a more lasting sustainable energy future. Perhaps enlightened policy will follow.

Contributors to this text include some of the best-known names in the field. They span the topic from agricultural and forestry considerations related to production of feedstock through the science and engineering of conversion technologies to economic and policy issues which are crucial to assuring environmentally conscientious implementation choices.

The more you learn about energy alternatives, the more you know what you do not know. This text will provide valuable, practical information that can be applied to implementing renewable energy projects.

But it is not just for those doing hands-on implementation or for students in an academic setting. This text will help civic leaders, economic development professionals, farmers, growers, investors, fleet managers, reporters, and the general public engage in informed discussions. It will enhance understanding of the complexities related to choosing among competing feedstocks, technologies, and products. And I hope that it will provide a foundation to guide knowledgeable policy development.

I have been watching the advanced biofuels industry evolve since 2007. I know of no other text that focuses on bio-based energy as a transition to a truly sustainable energy future or that combines scientific detail with practical information for implementation along with attention to the big picture issues and benefits.

The world is changing fast. The questions answered in this text were not even asked a half decade ago: What is the difference between biodiesel and renewable diesel? What sugars derive from cellulose and hemicellulose? How should we use comparative life cycle analyses?

The information in this text was not a part of anyone's basic education. It fills a need not only for current students, but should also serve as a basic resource for anyone interested in an organized introduction to the language, feedstocks, technologies, and products in the bio-based renewable energy world, including transportation fuels.

We need a text that discusses the challenges of transitioning away from fossil fuel, not as barriers to change, but as issues worthy of serious study, research, and reflection. We need a text that provides a framework for elucidating the practical challenges, the benefits, opportunities, and potential pitfalls of moving to a renewable energy future. This is that text.

We know so much more about bio-based energy than we did 10 years ago. We owe it to ourselves to base our choices for tomorrow on that hard-won knowledge, not on uninformed fears and glib proclamations. This text is one tool to successfully engage in that effort.

Joanne Ivancic

Executive Director, Advanced Biofuels United States

Preface

Similar to the first edition, Bioenergy: Biomass to Biofuels, the second edition, "Bioenergy—Biomass to Biofuels and Waste to Energy, a title like this comprising of all the possible related topics (biodiesel, anaerobic digestion and biogas, gasification, ethanol, waste oil, wood, grass, oil seed fuels, algal fuels, related sustainability, energy return, economics, etc.) could possibly be put together only with contributions from topic-specific highly accomplished experts engaged in education and practice. I tried to accomplish this by inviting the leading bioenergy/biofuel experts nationwide from universities, the Department of Energy, nonprofit organizations, and businesses for either updating their chapters published in the first edition or for writing fresh material. A whole new section on Waste to Energy" is created in the second edition. Also complementing the chapters are presented the first-hand service learning experiences of students in the form of case studies and comments from participating in a well-established university-level program. These participants actually partnered with bioenergy related for profit and nonprofit businesses, farms, and other community partners to take the learning experience to the next level by complementing the in-class learning with hands-on experience. Several new case studies have been included in the second edition.

In a way the foundation of this book was formalized back in 2010, although at that time I was not sure about the direction and shape this book would take, Joanne Ivancic, Executive Director, Advanced Biofuel USA, has been observing the development of advanced biofuels research and financing for more than 10   years. She noticed my Biomass to Biofuels program at the University of Vermont in Biofuels Digest, ¹ planned for that summer, and when the course was completed and relisted for the next offering, she asked me about the broad outreach of the course and future directions. I shared about anticipating to write a book to help develop and run programs like mine to include materials, lesson plans, procedures, and tips for setting up the bioenergy-related community relationships (more in this interview published ² as attached below).

This book is designed to be used by a reader of any background exploring Bioenergy, Biomass, or Biofuels from any angle (definitions of these terms are provided in the Part 1 introduction). As described in How to use this book, it is organized into seven parts: Part 1: Bioenergy—Biomass to Biofuels: an overview; Part 2: Wood and Grass Biomass as Biofuels; Part 3: Biomass to Liquid Biofuels; Part 4: Gaseous fuels and Biopower; Part 5: Waste to Energy; Part 6: Conversion Pathways for Cost-Effective Biofuel Production; Part 7: Biofuels Economics, Sustainability, Environmental and Policy; and Part 8: Quizzes. Each part starts with a part introduction and presents topic-specific chapters—each a self-contained information package making it possible for the reader to pick up any topic without going through a particular order in this book. The service learning project case studies under Parts 2 to 6 complement the chapters as they are built on hands-on experience working with the bioenergy businesses who actually encounter real-world problems and shared the experience with student interns. This component can be incorporated in any bioenergy-related teaching course designed anywhere by engaging the local bioenergy community partners.

Since the first edition of this book was published, and even prior to that advancement in the bioenergy area has received quite a bit of criticism with the foremost argument being it is unsustainable option—due to the food versus fuel debate, land use, and carbon issues. Evidently, new cutting edge technologies have already paved new ways toward the sustainability of renewable fuel options described in several chapters in this book. The criticism is also addressed by two economists in this book: a well-referenced report from the Farm Foundation found that while some of the same factors that drove commodity and food price increases in 2008 are at work today, new and very different factors have also emerged. ³ One of the authors of this report, Professor Wallace Tyner at the Department of Agricultural Economics at Purdue University, has authored the chapter Biofuel Economics and Policy: The Renewable Fuel Standard the Blend Wall, and Future Uncertainties in this book that provides an indication of what might happen under a wide range of possible changes to the current renewable fuel standards (RFS), which is important to the biofuels sector; however, because of the blend wall and perhaps other issues, the RFS has now come under increased attack. The extension agriculture economist, Professor Bob Parsons, Professor at the Department of Community Development and Applied Economics, University of Vermont, in his chapter asserts, There are economic associations with the quantities and prices of various inputs, substitutes, complements, production scale, and consumption of direct and byproducts that place different but important perspectives on the use of biofuels. Bob was unable to update his chapter for the second edition—may he rest in peace! The way he described the economics of biofuels in his chapter is timeless—the economic issues with important perspectives on the use of biofuels cover all possible scenarios.

A healthy dose of skepticism helps move an area forward in the right direction. Some bioenergy critics arguments revolve around the issues related with feedstock markets causing biofuel production to be uneconomical, and some of these groups have been making demonstrations against all bioenergy options with the primary intent toward marginalizing the first-generation biofuels (food vs. fuel debate and land use). There is another angle to this debate. As a while ago, Ron Kotrba, editor of Biodiesel Magazine ⁴ (May/June 2014 issue), quoted in his conversation with the National Biodiesel Board's chair, there's a lot of talk about foregoing first-generation biofuels for next generation biofuels, and the most certain way to kill next-generation biofuels is to take a pause in current generation biofuels. In the same issue, Ron provides a convincing view (especially to the ethanol critics) in Time has come Today through the example of, the co-location of biodiesel and ethanol production at ethanol plants benefiting from the sharing of the existing infrastructure to share process essentials, an in-house feedstock in distillers corn oil and use of ethanol rather than methanol for biodiesel reactions, and Ron further made the point in The myths & reality of biodiesel feedstock availability, "conversely the most certain way to advance next generation biofuels and the feedstocks from which they will be manufactured is to continue to grow existing-generation biofuels, and on any given day, feedstocks could be tight, but over the course of a year markets basically adjust… markets have not indicated to us that we are anywhere close to those limits (of biofuel feedstock)." Fast forward five years, that view is equally applicable today in 2019. The experts project waste to energy will have a significant role in the circular economy hinged at the nexus of food, water, and energy. The Waste to Energy section in this second edition provides and overview with an emphasis on the technological advancements toward that end.

Just like the first edition, this second edition, Bioenergy—Biomass to Biofuels and Waste to Energy, is a stepping stone in the journey toward a new era of growing fuel—on the lines of perfecting agriculture. It's about time to channelize our positive efforts based on cutting edge technologies with all the information at our fingertips unlike the days of Rudolf Diesel who demonstrated his engine at the Paris World Exposition in the year 1900 by using peanut oil—before the addition of fossil fuels started. We are over a century behind and have a lot of catching up to do! Good news is the technological advancement is on our side now.

Anju Dahiya

Advanced Biofuels USA Interview reproduced here:

University of Vermont's biomass to biofuels course brings real world to academia and visa versa

Submitted by Joanne on June 20, 2011—8:51 a.m.

by Joanne Ivancic (Advanced Biofuels USA) Whoever thought of inviting degree and nondegree seeking students, farmers, budding entrepreneurs, teachers (interested in developing curriculum, or projects at school or college levels), and others to a university course on biomass to biofuels?

Anju L. Dahiya, PhD, did in 2009 as Research Scientist at the Gund Institute for Ecological Economics; Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Sciences; and President of General Systems Research LLC. And she got the students she hoped for.

A surprisingly diverse student population is not Dahiya's only innovation. The second year the course was offered with Continuing Education, as a Biofuels Instructor in the Plant and Soil Science Department, she incorporated a service learning component to bring in even more real-world experience.

The beginnings

Prior to responding to a request for proposals from the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund, Dahiya had been thinking about how academic research, particularly her ongoing algae-to-biodiesel research, fits into the biodiesel industry's needs, or into the broader developing biofuels industry.

Seizing the early 2009 $20,000 grant opportunity, she integrated these thoughts into action. She proposed a course that would provide a wide range of biofuels-related science and technology topics, with environmental, economic, social, and other issues related to biofuels. She planned to build into the lesson plans hands-on work in the field and tours to bioenergy businesses. To enhance the real-world value of the course, she enlisted the Continuing Education Department in encouraging students not seeking degrees to participate.

Her objective for students was that once they completed the course, they would know not just information about biofuels and the developing bioenergy industry but they would understand real-life problems and situations encountered in the bioenergy industry; and they would also learn what they need to know to develop a biofuels or bioenergy business.

Implementation

As part of her work in the Plant and Soil Science Department at the University of Vermont in Burlington, and as president of General Systems Research, a local company conducting algae research, she had met many Vermonters involved in biofuels and bioenergy businesses and organizations. She tapped into those resources for experts to complement the university faculty. As it turned out, she instigated another innovation as she developed this course. The group of lecturers morphed into a consortium of experts once the grant was awarded and work intensified on the specifics.

They divided the subject matter into general areas of liquid biofuels (seed-based biodiesel, bioethanol, and algal biofuels), solid biofuels (from woody biomass and grasses), and biogas (particularly from manure and other farm waste).

The teaching team now includes ten university faculties along with four instructors from other organizations including three farms. A number of guest lecturers from community organizations and businesses will also speak.

During the second year, in addition to the classroom lectures, field trips, and an imaginary exercise in identifying and addressing a biofuels business challenge, students were required to participate in a service learning component. In collaboration with the Service Learning Office at the University of Vermont which contributed $500 for expenses, students volunteer with a community partner or other entity who has agreed to participate in this element of the biomass to biofuels course.

Instead of just imagining a business situation, students work with their community partners to identify a business project that they can work on over a 6-week period. They begin with a set of questions to get them to learn details about the business they chose. Their experience volunteering with the business or organization then informs their perspective and participation in the class lectures and field trips. In addition, they are required to write a report describing the project, the goals, work they did, what they learned, and the results of their work. This is a major part of their evaluation with students taking the course for credit graded on somewhat stricter criteria than nondegree students.

In the past years, students have worked on farm-based biogas projects, with a wood chip gasifier, with oil-based biodiesel, with a hydrological compost heating system, etc. This past spring, two teachers took the course: one to bring the information and the learning/teaching experience back to his classroom; the other, a retiree who wants to set up a biofuels business. Farmers planning to develop biofuels businesses at their farms have also participated, as has someone interested in creating a wood pellet mill who used this course to understand and sort out problems while creating a business plan. Some of the class-related service learning has resulted in formal internships for students. Some are working on grant proposals of their own based on their work for this course.

An online discussion forum was also created to enable discussions in specific topic areas related to the coursework and service learning experiences. In addition, faculty from other parts of the university who are not formally involved in the course are available when questions arise either from class and online discussions or from the service learning experiences.

Sharing and outreach

Now that the beta testing is completed, Dr. Dahiya is ready to increase her outreach for the course encouraged by student evaluations of the course including phrases like: Course was helpful for me I learned a ton of new information—also gave me contacts for later in life. I feel reinforced with knowledge. This course has inspired me to protect biomass to make sure it is used conscientiously as biofuels. Broadened my perspective of biofuels. Will carry this knowledge with me in the future. Everything I needed at this time.

When she started preparing the grant, Dahiya felt she was exploring new territory. As with so many other biofuels projects, this had never been done before, as far as she could tell. She wanted to bring together all the possible biofuels-related know-how she could to help students find direction in this area of interest. She now feels that her goals have been well met.

Lately, Dahiya has heard from many teachers in Vermont who would like to develop something like this for the secondary school level; another teacher who contacted her is putting together a similar college-level course.

Dahiya anticipates writing a book about the course including materials, lesson plans, procedures, and tips for setting up the community relationships. In the meantime, she will be happy to consult with others who want to use this as a model course to expand the understanding and development of biofuels and bioenergy among traditional and nontraditional university students. She can be reached through the University of Vermont website for the course. READ MORE (Revised 6/27/11).

¹   http://www.biofuelsdigest.com/.

²   http://advancedbiofuelsusa.info/university-of-vermonts-biomass-to-biofuels-course-brings-real-world-to-academia-and-visa-vers.

³   https://www.farmfoundation.org/issues/issue-reports/.

⁴   http://www.biodieselmagazine.com/.

Acknowledgments

Forty-one chapters that comprise this second edition are authored by extremely talented and highly accomplished bioenergy experts nationwide who have poured in their years of expertise, experience, and vision into their respective chapters. Several dedicated bioenergy students have contributed their hands-on work in the form of case studies—my special thanks and deep appreciation goes out to each one of the contributors for their dedication, hard work in writing and revising the chapter texts. The second edition contains a new section called Waste to energy. Respective experts and students have contributed their works. I hope this combined effort will continue to advance Bioenergy, Biomass to Biofuels, and Waste to Energy areas.

My extra special thanks to Ellen Kahler and Netaka White (Vermont Sustainable Jobs fund) for supporting the early stages of Biomass to Biofuels program at the University of Vermont that guided the first edition of this book immensely and paved the way for this second edition. I am most grateful to my biomass to biofuels students for their help with this book design selection from the two available samples and voting for the best design for the first edition that also helped with this second edition as well: Nicholas Allgaier, Caleb Atwood, Ethan Bellavance, Samuel Grubinger, Elias Lichtenstein, James MacLeish, Adam Riggen, Gregory Schab, Heather Snow, Grant Troester, and Frank Geier.

I want to thank Sharon Lezberg (Environmental Resources Center University of Wisconsin-Madison) for introducing the team leaders of bioenergy program. Robert Brown (Iowa State University) for directing me to a topic-specific expert. Rebecca Theller (Purdue University) for providing the originals, Ray Albrecht (Northeast US Region, National Biodiesel Board) and Trish Cozart and Kristi Theis (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) for helping with factsheets.

I wish to acknowledge numerous reviewers who kindly evaluated first edition chapters that were updated in this second edition, offered constructive criticism, and volunteers who commented, gave feedback, and provided their support in a timely manner that helped me pull together this work: Kristin Lewis (John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center); Semih Eser (Pennsylvania State University), Rich Altman, David Ripplinger (North Dakota State University), Zhiguang Zhu (Virginia Tech); Ron Wilson; Gene Simpson (Auburn University); Bin Yang (Washington State University); Bob Hedden (University of Vermont); Kelly Donovan (University of Pittsburgh); Tobias Kind (UC Davis Genome Center Metabolomics Group); Melanie Thom (Baere Aerospace Consulting, Inc.); Netaka White and Sarah Galbraith (Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund), Guy Roberts (Avatar Energy); Matt Sayre (Continuing Education, The University of Vermont), Elizabeth Hayward, Lucy Singer (University of Vermont); current and former affiliates at University of Vermont: Michelle Smith, Tom Joslin, Ariadne Brancato, Deandra Perrucio, Rich Smith, Gregory Schab, Chris Smith, Jason McCune-Sanders.

My acknowledgments would be incomplete without mentioning Prof. John Todd (one of the pioneers in the emerging field of ecological design and engineering) for his continuous support and inspiration over many years for my projects including this book. I would also like to thank Prof. Deborah Neher Chair, Department of Plant and Soil Science at University of Vermont, who kindly supported a proposal for a larger bioenergy project at a time when my ideas about this book were shaping up. Dr. Scott Costa (may he rest in peace) would be thrilled to see this book and would have definitely asked me if I included a chapter on biodiesel from dung beetles. I also want to thank Prof. Alan McIntosh, Prof. Ann Hazelrigg, Prof. Ernesto Mandez, Prof. Sid Bosworth, Prof. Don Ross, Dr. Heather Darby, Dr. Joel Tilley, Colleen Armstrong, David Heleba, Tom Doubleday, Anne Marie Resnik, Tina Haskins, Dan Kirk, and Elisa Ziglar for their support over several years, and their good wishes that helped me materialize several courses, projects, and also this book.

My special thanks to Natasha Duarte, Director, Composting Association of Vermont, and Beret Halverson State Master Gardener, Coordinator, University of Vermont Extension, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, for their support and contribution with the Waste to Energy section. This section also received attention and appreciation from students, and I would like to thank especially, Dylan Almeida, Tim Jordan, Olivia Hart, Dan Gutberlet, Justin Freitas, Isabel Lisle, Matt Jackson, Annie Reagan, Brian Zohn, Jess Sheridan, Roz Aronow, Ryan Van Horn, Alec Moloznik, Ian Beall, Irma Cicak, Kate Heilenbach, Allison McGovern, Hannah Meharg, Adam Companion, Mike Militi, Amanda Lindley, Claire MacIntyre, Eric Beaudet, and Miranda Evarts. My special thanks to Frank Guyer-Geier for his continuous unwavering support for several of the courses ran over the years and for helping students in organizing and conducting their hands-on projects with community partners.

I am grateful to Prof. Jane Kolodinsky, Chair, Department of Community Development and Applied Economics, for her valuable advice and support for the waste to energy course that made the new section possible in this second edition.

With profound sadness, I remember one of the first edition chapter contributors, Dr. Robert Bob Parsons—may he rest in peace! On April 6, 2018, the Department of Community Development and Applied Economics at the University of Vermont celebrated his life. With all his passion and excitement he had contributed his chapter in the first edition—also included in this edition. Bob always had his numbers at his fingertips for crops economics to energy crops. Whenever I invited him to talk to my students, I knew I would get a fresh dose of briefing on the current affairs in the economics of biofuels world. His chapter remains a legacy for this book.

The preliminary design of the first edition was made by Benjamin Kaufman and further redesigned by the publisher's design team—that design inspired the design on the cover of this book. I appreciate permission to include pictures and acknowledge support from Bioenergy Technologies Office staff, Earthrise staff, Gulf publication staff, Myriant Corporation staff, Robert Henrikson and David Schwartz, Algae Industry Magazine.

I want to express my gratitude to the Elsevier team of both the first edition and the second edition of this book—Kattie, Washington, Tiffany Gasbarrini, Zanol Raquel, Joseph, Poulouse, Jennifer Pierce, Joanna Collett, Nirmala Arumugam and the design and production team for their complete support, patience, and understanding.

My thanks to so many other professors and intellectuals I got a chance to work with over the last decades. Also, my gratitude to the father figures I came to know over time, especially J.P. Foss, B.S. Gahlot, and H.S. Mann for all their support and blessings that makes me feel closer to my dad. I know that just like my dad each one of them would be happy to see this book materialize.

I am grateful to my friends and family, my dear mom, my dear brother, my dear parents in-law, for all their support, and extremely grateful to my dear husband and my dear son for their unwavering support and encouragement and above all patience that helped me bring together this work.

Anju Dahiya

How to use this book: helpful suggestions

Anju Dahiya

The leading bioenergy, biomass to biofuels experts from Universities (including extensions), Department of Energy National laboratories, National Biodiesel Board and other nonprofits, representing all the four regions in Unites States (Midwest, Northeast, West, and South), have literally poured in their years of educating and research experience into the chapters presented in this book. Each chapter is written in best possible comprehensive way to help a reader of any background ¹ to grasp the concepts, learn about the state of the art technology, and be able to take the learning to the next level. I have carefully presented these contributed book chapters and organized the topics in accordance to the design I had earlier implemented for a new established university-level program ¹ , ² on bioenergy—biomass to biofuels (developed with support from Department of Energy and Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund) that received overwhelmingly encouraging response from diverse sectors in the state (academic, non/for profit, and government). It is hoped this book will be used in facilitating similar programs and help the participants and individuals exploring bioenergy nationwide and elsewhere.

Helpful suggestions are presented here for students, researchers, instructors/experts (teachers, professors, guest speakers), and individuals exploring bioenergy, biofuels, planning to use this book as a teaching or learning tool. A brief overview of the seven parts in this book is presented in the end. First, an overview of this book is presented below followed by the respective suggestions.

Overview of this book

• Part introductions: this book is organized into eight parts (each indicated with a roman numeral) that cover all the possible bioenergy topics (wood, grass, oil seeds, algal fuels, waste oil, biodiesel, biogas, bioheat, gasification, ethanol, and related sustainability, economics, environment, policy, etc.):

Part 1 Bioenergy—Biomass to Biofuels: An Overview

Part 2 Wood and Grass Biomass as Biofuels

Part 3 Biomass to Liquid Biofuels

Part 4 Gaseous Fuels and Biopower

Part 5 Waste to Energy

Part 6 Conversion Pathways for Cost-Effective Biofuel Production

Part7 Biofuels Economics, Sustainability, Environmental and Policy

Part 8 Quizzes

    As reflected in the table of contents, at the beginning of each part, a part introduction is provided to give an overview of each of the chapters included in that part along with the suggestions to most efficiently pair a chapter/topic of interest with other related chapters included in other parts of this book for a comprehensive understanding of a particular bioenergy option.

• The structure of each chapter: each chapter is a unique and self-contained information package on the respective topic, firstly because it is contributed by a leading expert in the area, and secondly, the contributing expert has organized the chapter to first give a good introduction of the topic followed by the specifics, along with easy-to-follow examples that describe the concepts further, and additional up-to-date resources and references to explore the topic in greater depth. This pattern makes it possible for the reader to pick up any topic of interest without going through a particular order in this book.

• Service learning projects and case studies contributed by the participants of the Bioenergy—Biomass to Biofuels program present their real-world experience from partnering/interning with bioenergy businesses are included in Parts 2 to 5. These studies complement the main chapters and also provide additional backgrounds for particular topics. By including the first-hand project descriptions, I have tried to provide a model of participatory learning built on hands-on experience working with the bioenergy businesses that actually encounter the real-world problems and can share the experience with student interns. This component can be incorporated in any bioenergy-related teaching course designed anywhere by engaging the local bioenergy community partners—the effort would greatly enhance student learning, jump start their career, and help in the community partners providing an internship experience.

Useful suggestions provided below are intended to help students effectively use this book as reading material for their courses and also for instructors planning on designing such courses or for enhancing their ongoing courses.

Helpful suggestions for both the students and the instructors engaged in bioenergy courses

• Scan the table of contents and identify the topic of your interest (fuel type—solid, liquid, gaseous, or economics, policy, etc.) and then go through the respective part introduction to look for the related supplementary chapters in other parts. For instance, for the biodiesel topic see Part 2; for the feedstock option go through the Part introduction (not chapter) and pair it with the respective fuel conversion pathway in Part 5. It can be further paired with the related economics and policy-related information presented in Part 6 to understand the cradle to grave picture if needed or if you want to explore a topic in greater depth.

• Use case studies as additional topics as some of the bioenergy topics are also covered through the case studies that provide additional topics with excellent background descriptions. For example, compost heat under Part 3 gives a good background on the Jean Pain system.

• Refer to the glossary provided in Part 1 for the terms unclear in the text. If you do not see the term you are looking for, then do a quick search on the Internet and continue reading your chapter or vice versa.

Additional suggestions for an expert (teacher, professor, guest speaker) planning to use material provided in this book as a teaching tool or in presentations of any kind

• Chapters as readings and discussion material to supplement a lecture or talk: the topic-specific chapters could be suggested as readings for student participants. The students can be directed to either read the specified topic(s) to come prepared for a lecture or to read those chapters after a class to strengthen their knowledge of a particular topic and to actively participate in the class or forum discussions, and for completing the class assignments or the project reports.

• Readings for field trips: if your teaching module consists of field trips, the students could be directed to read the topic-specific chapters before heading out to a related field trip.

• Student projects: depending on the time commitment and allowed credits, student projects may range from self-studies, hands-on under supervision, or as broad as partnering with a local bioenergy business or an organization engaged in a particular bioenergy-related topic to do service learning projects. This book contains examples of topic-specific projects done by students in an established program that students can be directed to use for developing their own similar hands-on projects and even form a partnership (or internship) with local community partners engaged in bioenergy areas.

• Quiz questions on the topics included in this book are presented along with the respective answers at the end of this book. These questions could be given as tests after a topic-specific lecture or field trip.

Brief overview of eight parts

See the respective part introductions for details as presented at the beginning of a part. A chapter in itself is a comprehensive package on the respective topic. For further understanding, the related additional details of the biomass conversion pathways common for producing different solid, liquid gaseous fuels (e.g. chemical/thermal/enzymatic treatments; hydrolysis, fermentation; pyrolysis, hydroprocessing; etc.) are presented in Part 5 and the related economics and policy or environmental issues in Part 6.

Part 1 Bioenergy—biomass to biofuels: an overview

In this part, the chapter Introduction to Bioenergy provides a general overview of bioenergy. Additionally, the biodiesel introduction contributed by National Biodiesel Board and a glossary of bioenergy-related terms with brief definitions are provided for referring while reading the chapters.

Part 2 Wood and grass biomass as biofuels

The respective three chapters cover all the possible aspects of wood and grass energy, and the two service learning case studies describe the use of wood and grass for the production of pellets through the formation of a co-op and present an assessment of a 130-acre property for onsite-related biomass resources.

Part 3 Biomass to liquid biofuels

Nine chapters in this part present a variety of liquid biofuel topics ranging from feedstock options, types of fuels, oil seed–based biodiesel, life-cycle assessment with energy return on assessment calculations, straight vegetable oil, cellulosic ethanol, bioheat as heating oil, and algae biofuel. Related service learning projects and case studies include the cost analysis of oil seed production for biodiesel, the thermal switch from wood to oil heat, and ethanol distillery. Related biomass conversion pathways are presented in Part 5.

Part 4 Gaseous fuels and biopower

Four chapters cover the topics biogas (anaerobic digestion) and gasification in great detail. The related conversion pathways in Part 6 are available