Dear Colleagues,

Today, approximately 10% of the world’s energy consumption is supplied by biomass, making it the largest renewable energy sector thus far. Producing biofuels from biomass via the thermochemical platform is considered the most efficient route. Despite the merits of biomass as the only sustainable carbon carrier and its abundancy, raw biomass is characterized by its low energy density, low volumetric density, low hydrophobicity, and high microorganism susceptibility, which significantly retard its broad utilization. These characteristics of biomass feedstock have led to a low energy conversion efficiency, low target product yields, and high logistics costs. To overcome these issues, torrefaction has attracted much attention, since it can effectively upgrade raw biomass and produce coal-like solid fuels that can be co-fired with coal to reduce GHG emissions, decrease fossil fuel use, and promote sustainable energy development. Torrefied biomass utilization is promising not only in the power industry, but also in other industrial sectors, such as iron and steel, pulp and paper, and chemicals.

This Special Issue on “Biomass Torrefaction: Processes, Applications, and Challenges” aims to gather outstanding research and the comprehensive coverage of all aspects related to biomass torrefaction, covering a wide range of technologies for the production of torrefied biomass for both energy and building block chemical applications. Topics include, but are not limited to:

• Biomass torrefaction technologies, including both lab and pilot scales.
• Biomass preprocessing (size reduction, pelleting, and pretreatment), torrefaction, and densification integration.
• Assisted and novel torrefaction processes, including ultrasonic, microwave, and other assisted processes.
• Process modeling, life cycle assessment, and process techno-economic analysis.
• Applications of torrefied biomass to novel areas, such as batteries, fuel cells, and in carbon electrodes.

Dr. Meng Zhang
Guest Editor

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• biomass torrefaction
• biomass preprocessing
• torrefaction processes
• process modeling
• life cycle assessment