Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
7
Biomass-Based Energy
Production
Mehrdad Arshadi
1
and Anita Sellstedt
2
1
Department of Forest Biomaterials and Technology, Swedish University of Agricultural
Sciences (SLU), Sweden
2
Department of Plant Physiology, UPSC, Umeå University, Sweden
7.1 Introduction
The transport sector generates substantial airborne emissions of different gases
and particles that are produced by the combustion of various fossil fuels in vehicle
engines. These emissions have adverse effects on human health and are also
known to cause vast environmental changes. Several of the emitted gases are
greenhouse gases such as CO
2
, CH
4
, and N
2
O. There is very strong evidence of a
correlation between greenhouse gas emissions and global climate changes that are
causing global warming. Together with the world's growing energy demand, the
depletion of global fossil fuel reserves and the increasing importance of long-
distance transport provide a strong impetus for the development of new energy
sources.
Biomass is a renewable energy source comprising a wide range of biological
materials that can be used as fuels and as precursors for the production of other
industrial chemicals. Energy generated from biomass is usually referred to as
bioenergy. Today, bioenergy is a practical and increasingly widely available
