Can Multiple Uses of Biomass Limit the Feedstock Availability for Future Biogas Production? An Overview of Biogas Feedstocks and Their Alternative Uses

Biogas is expected to contribute 10% of the total renewable energy use in Europe in 2030. This expectation largely depends on the use of several biomass byproducts and wastes as feedstocks. However, the current development of a biobased economy requires biomass sources for multiple purposes. If alte...

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Main Authors: Dieu Linh Hoang, Chris Davis, Henri C. Moll, Sanderine Nonhebel
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2020-05-01
Series:Energies
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/13/11/2747
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author Dieu Linh Hoang
Chris Davis
Henri C. Moll
Sanderine Nonhebel
author_facet Dieu Linh Hoang
Chris Davis
Henri C. Moll
Sanderine Nonhebel
author_sort Dieu Linh Hoang
collection DOAJ
description Biogas is expected to contribute 10% of the total renewable energy use in Europe in 2030. This expectation largely depends on the use of several biomass byproducts and wastes as feedstocks. However, the current development of a biobased economy requires biomass sources for multiple purposes. If alternative applications also use biogas feedstocks, it becomes doubtful whether they will be available for biogas production. To explore this issue, this paper aims to provide an overview of potential alternative uses of different biogas feedstocks being researched in literature. We conducted a literature review using the machine learning technique “co-occurrence analysis of terms”. This technique reads thousands of abstracts from literature and records when pairs of biogas feedstock-application are co-mentioned. These pairs are assumed to represent the use of a feedstock for an application. We reviewed 109 biogas feedstocks and 217 biomass applications, revealing 1053 connections between them in nearly 55,000 scientific articles. Our results provide two insights. First, a large share of the biomass streams presently considered in the biogas estimates have many alternative uses, which likely limit their contribution to future biogas production. Second, there are streams not being considered in present estimates for biogas production although they have the proper characteristics.
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spelling doaj.art-de1f6fa0564e421ca13abc12bb2a673a2023-11-20T02:18:16ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732020-05-011311274710.3390/en13112747Can Multiple Uses of Biomass Limit the Feedstock Availability for Future Biogas Production? An Overview of Biogas Feedstocks and Their Alternative UsesDieu Linh Hoang0Chris Davis1Henri C. Moll2Sanderine Nonhebel3Integrated Research on Energy, Environment and Society (IREES), Nijenborgh 6, 9747 AG Groningen, The NetherlandsInvenia Labs, 95 Regent Street, Cambridge CB2 1AW, UKIntegrated Research on Energy, Environment and Society (IREES), Nijenborgh 6, 9747 AG Groningen, The NetherlandsIntegrated Research on Energy, Environment and Society (IREES), Nijenborgh 6, 9747 AG Groningen, The NetherlandsBiogas is expected to contribute 10% of the total renewable energy use in Europe in 2030. This expectation largely depends on the use of several biomass byproducts and wastes as feedstocks. However, the current development of a biobased economy requires biomass sources for multiple purposes. If alternative applications also use biogas feedstocks, it becomes doubtful whether they will be available for biogas production. To explore this issue, this paper aims to provide an overview of potential alternative uses of different biogas feedstocks being researched in literature. We conducted a literature review using the machine learning technique “co-occurrence analysis of terms”. This technique reads thousands of abstracts from literature and records when pairs of biogas feedstock-application are co-mentioned. These pairs are assumed to represent the use of a feedstock for an application. We reviewed 109 biogas feedstocks and 217 biomass applications, revealing 1053 connections between them in nearly 55,000 scientific articles. Our results provide two insights. First, a large share of the biomass streams presently considered in the biogas estimates have many alternative uses, which likely limit their contribution to future biogas production. Second, there are streams not being considered in present estimates for biogas production although they have the proper characteristics.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/13/11/2747biogasbiomass wastecompeting usesbiomass applicationsbio-based economybiomass value pyramid
spellingShingle Dieu Linh Hoang
Chris Davis
Henri C. Moll
Sanderine Nonhebel
Can Multiple Uses of Biomass Limit the Feedstock Availability for Future Biogas Production? An Overview of Biogas Feedstocks and Their Alternative Uses
Energies
biogas
biomass waste
competing uses
biomass applications
bio-based economy
biomass value pyramid
title Can Multiple Uses of Biomass Limit the Feedstock Availability for Future Biogas Production? An Overview of Biogas Feedstocks and Their Alternative Uses
title_full Can Multiple Uses of Biomass Limit the Feedstock Availability for Future Biogas Production? An Overview of Biogas Feedstocks and Their Alternative Uses
title_fullStr Can Multiple Uses of Biomass Limit the Feedstock Availability for Future Biogas Production? An Overview of Biogas Feedstocks and Their Alternative Uses
title_full_unstemmed Can Multiple Uses of Biomass Limit the Feedstock Availability for Future Biogas Production? An Overview of Biogas Feedstocks and Their Alternative Uses
title_short Can Multiple Uses of Biomass Limit the Feedstock Availability for Future Biogas Production? An Overview of Biogas Feedstocks and Their Alternative Uses
title_sort can multiple uses of biomass limit the feedstock availability for future biogas production an overview of biogas feedstocks and their alternative uses
topic biogas
biomass waste
competing uses
biomass applications
bio-based economy
biomass value pyramid
url https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/13/11/2747
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