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Innovation in Waste-to-Energy Technology
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Innovation in Waste-to-Energy Technology

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Energy Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 April 2022) | Viewed by 31788

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Amro Hassanein

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
Department of Environmental Science and Technology, University of Maryland College Park, MD 20742, USA
Interests: bioenergy engineering; biohydrogen; biogas; microbial electrolysis cell; microbial fuel cell; anaerobic digestion; pyrolysis; solar energy; life cycle assessment; electrochemical; nanotechnology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Freddy Witarsa

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Environmental Science and Technology, Colorado Mesa University, Grand Junction, CO 81501, USA
Interests: anaerobic digestion; biogas; microbial electrolysis cell; nutrients capture; life cycle assessment (LCA); microbial processes; wastewater and water treatment

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues, 

Biomass without appropriate treatment can cause substantial environmental problems, but proper treatment and disposal of organic biomass can be expensive. In this Special Issue, we focus on waste-to-energy (WTE) technology that can treat organic biomass and produce renewable energy in the form of gas, electricity, and/or heat through combustion, pyrolyzation, anaerobic digestion, landfill gas recovery, or gasification. WTE technology provides potential alternative fuel sources to fossil fuels and helps to reduce landfill disposal cost around the globe. There is a demand for new or innovative techniques to improve the efficacy of existing WTE technology and reduce the disposal cost, providing sustainable waste treatment options for a better future. 

This Special Issue aims to gather research papers on recent developments and innovation for WTE technology. We invite researchers to submit research and review articles that describe new insights on renewable energy production from biomass and its utilization processes to push forward the development of new efficient WTE technologies. The research can range from lab-scale to full-scale case studies. 

This topic will include a series of research and review articles covering, but not limited to, the following subjects:

  • Bioenergy production from biomass through anaerobic digestion, dark fermentation, photo fermentation, microbial fuel cell, and microbial electrolysis cell;
  • Biomass conversion to bioplastic and improvement in VFA production;
  • The use of innovative methods to improve energy production from alternative wastes;
  • Development of pretreatment processes to increase energy production from feedstocks;
  • Maximizing the energy production of solids wastes from pyrolysis, gasification, and combustion;
  • Improved wastewater treatment processes through integration with energy production.

Dr. Amro Hassanein
Dr. Freddy Witarsa
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Anaerobic digestion
  • Microbial electrolysis cell
  • Gasification
  • Biodiesel
  • Biohydrogen
  • Methane
  • Microbial fuel cell
  • Fermentation
  • Mechanical biological treatment
  • Pyrolysis
  • Renewable energy
  • Ethanol
  • Energy recovery

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

23 pages, 3213 KiB  
Article
Feasibility of Bio-Coal Production from Hydrothermal Carbonization (HTC) Technology Using Food Waste in Malaysia
by Ajit Singh, Andrew Gill, David Lian Keong Lim, Agustina Kasmaruddin, Taghi Miri, Anita Chakrabarty, Hui Hui Chai, Anurita Selvarajoo, Festo Massawe, Yousif Abdalla Abakr, Kumbirai Ivyne Mateva, Wendy Pei Qin Ng, Olga Serifi, Claudia Mackenzie, Mardawani Mohamad, Hooi-Siang Kang, Pei Sean Goh, Jun Wei Lim and Yi Jing Chan
Sustainability 2022, 14(8), 4534; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14084534 - 11 Apr 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3627
Abstract
The alarming rise of food waste all over the world due to population and economic growth must be tackled with better waste management and treatment methods. The current practice of landfilling has been scientifically proven to adversely impact environmental and societal health. A [...] Read more.
The alarming rise of food waste all over the world due to population and economic growth must be tackled with better waste management and treatment methods. The current practice of landfilling has been scientifically proven to adversely impact environmental and societal health. A relatively new technology called hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) has the potential to solve this problem. It takes in high-moisture-content material, like food waste, and converts it into bio-coal with a heating value similar to normal coal. The present study explored the feasibility of HTC technology and bio-coal production in Malaysia. An in-depth study via desk research was conducted by implementing Porter’s five forces analysis to evaluate the feasibility of the bio-coal production project. A survey involving 215 respondents from different households that represent the average demography of Malaysia was also conducted to understand the behaviors and attitudes of different households towards food waste. The present study found that a typical Malaysian household disposes mostly of meal leftovers, with an average of 926 g of food waste per day. In addition, the 3 highest food categories that were disposed of were rice or noodles or pasta (13.0%), vegetables (12.2%) and curry and soup (10.1%). Meal leftovers such as curry and soup are high in moisture content, which is suitable for HTC. The survey on household waste provided adequate information to support the availability of a sufficient quantity of food waste in the country to sustain the raw material for the bio-coal project in Malaysia. Furthermore, a consumer survey involving seven industrial firms was conducted to determine the potential buyers of bio-coal. The responses from the industrial firms show that a bio-alternative for coal is important, and they are willing to transition to greener technologies. However, five out of seven firms stated that the main hurdle in adopting bio-coal is the high cost of production and incompatibility with existing industrial processes. Finally, interviews were conducted with key players in the industry to evaluate the adoptability of bio-coal into the wider market. The findings from the desk research and the primary research show that the outlook for bio-coal in the market is quite positive. In the long run, HTC is certainly profitable, but for immediate benefits, adequate government support and policy in favour of the use of HTC bio-coal in power plants are required. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovation in Waste-to-Energy Technology)
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18 pages, 3460 KiB  
Article
Syngas Production and Combined Heat and Power from Scottish Agricultural Waste Gasification—A Computational Study
by Ahmed M. Salem, Harnek S. Dhami and Manosh C. Paul
Sustainability 2022, 14(7), 3745; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14073745 - 22 Mar 2022
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 11442
Abstract
This paper explores the possibility of utilizing Scottish agricultural waste for sustainable energy, including combined heat and power (CHP). Challenges of using unconventional agricultural feedstocks for gasification are addressed, and the study is focused on the fundamental understanding of gasification processes as well [...] Read more.
This paper explores the possibility of utilizing Scottish agricultural waste for sustainable energy, including combined heat and power (CHP). Challenges of using unconventional agricultural feedstocks for gasification are addressed, and the study is focused on the fundamental understanding of gasification processes as well as the design constraints of a commonly used downdraft gasifier. An integrated kinetic and CHP model is presented to address these, and the results demonstrate the optimal working parameters that maximize the production of high-quality syngas and power from the CHP engine. Based on the robust sensitivity analysis, an equivalence ratio (Φ) of 0.3–0.35 with moisture content (MC) less than 10% yields higher production of syngas, thus resulting in higher gasification efficiency. Moreover, an increase in Φ also favors the gasification temperature, which promotes tar cracking and results in lower tar content. Additionally, the gasification efficiency, design limitations, and challenges are addressed to optimize the gasifier design so that it can handle diverse feedstocks with high performance. Therefore, the findings are significant in the field of bioenergy and, in particular, help to expand the route of converting agricultural waste to energy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovation in Waste-to-Energy Technology)
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18 pages, 4445 KiB  
Article
Olive Mill Waste-Based Anaerobic Digestion as a Source of Local Renewable Energy and Nutrients
by Mohamed Aboelfetoh, Amro Hassanein, Mohamed Ragab, Mohamed El-kassas and Ezzat R. Marzouk
Sustainability 2022, 14(3), 1402; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14031402 - 26 Jan 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2991
Abstract
This study focused on what combination of anaerobic digestion (AD) temperature (ambient, mesophilic, and thermophilic) and olive mill waste (OMW) to dairy manure (DM) ratio mixture delivers the desired renewable energy and digestate qualities when using AD as olive mill waste treatment. OMW [...] Read more.
This study focused on what combination of anaerobic digestion (AD) temperature (ambient, mesophilic, and thermophilic) and olive mill waste (OMW) to dairy manure (DM) ratio mixture delivers the desired renewable energy and digestate qualities when using AD as olive mill waste treatment. OMW is widespread in the local environment in the North Sinai region, Egypt, which causes many environmental hazards if left without proper treatment. Three different mixtures consisting of OMW, dairy manure (DM), and inoculum (IN) were incubated under ambient, mesophilic, and thermophilic conditions for 45 days. The results showed that mixture B (2:1:2, OMW:DM:IN) at 55 °C produced more methane than at 35 °C and ambient temperature by 40% and 252%, respectively. Another aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the different concentrations of the digestate taken from each mixture on faba bean growth. The results showed that the maximum fresh weight values of the shoot system were observed at 10% and 15% for mixture B at ambient temperature. The best concentration value for the highest root elongation rate is a 5% addition of digestate mixture A at 55 °C, compared with other treatments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovation in Waste-to-Energy Technology)
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22 pages, 4275 KiB  
Article
Simulation and Optimization of Anaerobic Co-Digestion of Food Waste with Palm Oil Mill Effluent for Biogas Production
by Jasmine Sie Ming Tiong, Yi Jing Chan, Jun Wei Lim, Mardawani Mohamad, Chii-Dong Ho, Anisa Ur Rahmah, Worapon Kiatkittipong, Wipoo Sriseubsai and Izumi Kumakiri
Sustainability 2021, 13(24), 13665; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132413665 - 10 Dec 2021
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3619
Abstract
Food waste (FW) utilized as substrate for anaerobic digestion (AD) to produce biogas is promising. Simultaneously, waste is handled and value-added products such as biogas and fertilizer are produced. Palm oil mill effluent (POME) is used as the co-substrate. This study aims to [...] Read more.
Food waste (FW) utilized as substrate for anaerobic digestion (AD) to produce biogas is promising. Simultaneously, waste is handled and value-added products such as biogas and fertilizer are produced. Palm oil mill effluent (POME) is used as the co-substrate. This study aims to simulate the complete process flow of anaerobic co-digestion (AcoD), consisting of pre-treatment of feedstock, biogas upgrading, wastewater treatment and sludge dying using SuperPro Designer. Parameters, namely hydraulic retention time (HRT), recycle ratio of sludge, water to FW ratio (kg/kg) and co-substrate to FW ratio (kg/kg), would affect the performance of digester. The optimization of these parameters is performed using Design-Expert software, involving response surface methodology (RSM). The effects on responses such as methane flow, chemical oxygen demand (COD) and volatile solid (VS) removal efficiencies are analyzed. In treating 25,000 kg/h of feed, the optimized values for HRT, recycle ratio, water to feedstock ratio, POME to FW ratio are 37.2 days, 0.381, 0.027 and 0.004, respectively. The methane yield is 0.30 L CH4/g of COD removed, with COD and VS removal efficiencies of 81.5% and 68.9%, respectively. The project is profitable, with a payback period of 6.14 years and net present value (NPV) of $5,680,000. A comprehensive understanding of AD matures it for commercialization purposes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovation in Waste-to-Energy Technology)
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14 pages, 3259 KiB  
Article
Assessment of Petroleum-Based Plastic and Bioplastics Degradation Using Anaerobic Digestion
by Benjamin Nachod, Emily Keller, Amro Hassanein and Stephanie Lansing
Sustainability 2021, 13(23), 13295; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132313295 - 01 Dec 2021
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 4991
Abstract
Bioplastics have emerged as a viable alternative to traditional petroleum-based plastic (PET). Three of the most common bioplastic polymers are polyhydroxybutyrate-valerate (PHBV), polylactide (PLA), and cellulose-based bioplastic (CBB). This study assessed biodegradation through anaerobic digestion (AD) of these three bioplastics and PET digested [...] Read more.
Bioplastics have emerged as a viable alternative to traditional petroleum-based plastic (PET). Three of the most common bioplastic polymers are polyhydroxybutyrate-valerate (PHBV), polylactide (PLA), and cellulose-based bioplastic (CBB). This study assessed biodegradation through anaerobic digestion (AD) of these three bioplastics and PET digested with food waste (FW) at mesophilic (35 °C) and thermophilic (55 °C) temperatures. The four plastic types were digested with FW in triplicate batch reactors. Additionally, two blank treatments (inoculum-only) and two PHBV treatments (with FW + inoculum and inoculum-only) were digested at 35 and 55 °C. The PHBV treatment without FW at 35 °C (PHBV-35) produced the most methane (CH4) normalized by the volatile solids (VS) of the bioplastics over the 104-day experimental period (271 mL CH4/g VS). Most bioplastics had more CH4 production than PET when normalized by digester volume or gram substrate added, with the PLA-FW-55 (5.80 m3 CH4/m3), PHBV-FW-55 (2.29 m3 CH4/m3), and PHBV-55 (4.05 m3 CH4/m3) having 848,275 and 561%, respectively, more CH4 production than the PET treatment. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed full degradation of PHBV pellets after AD. The results show that when PHBV is used as bioplastic, it can be degraded with energy production through AD. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovation in Waste-to-Energy Technology)
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12 pages, 312 KiB  
Article
Impact of Municipal Waste Recycling and Renewable Energy Consumption on CO2 Emissions across the European Union (EU) Member Countries
by Yilmaz Bayar, Marius Dan Gavriletea, Stefan Sauer and Dragos Paun
Sustainability 2021, 13(2), 656; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13020656 - 12 Jan 2021
Cited by 25 | Viewed by 3676
Abstract
The world population maintains a growing trend and in turn, the amount of municipal waste is also increasing. Rising municipal waste quantity poses a challenge for human beings and the environment, therefore recycling becomes important for environmental sustainability and circular economy. This study [...] Read more.
The world population maintains a growing trend and in turn, the amount of municipal waste is also increasing. Rising municipal waste quantity poses a challenge for human beings and the environment, therefore recycling becomes important for environmental sustainability and circular economy. This study explores the effects of municipal waste recycling and renewable energy on the environment sustainability proxied by CO2 emissions in EU member states over the period from 2004 to 2017 through panel cointegration and causality analyses. Recycling is considered an efficient way to reduce CO2 emission, but surprisingly our results indicate mixed findings. The causality analysis revealed no significant interaction among recycling rate, renewable energy and CO2 emissions. However, in the long run, the negative impact of recycling and renewable energy use on CO2 emissions were revealed but varied among the countries. Results indicate that increasing renewable energy consumption will play a significant role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. These findings must raise awareness among policymakers that should focus on the adoption and implementation of different types of sustainable energy policies that can affect directly or indirectly renewable energy sector development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovation in Waste-to-Energy Technology)
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