Renewable Energy Technologies for Energy Efficient Sustainable Development (eBook)

The depletion of fossil fuel reserves and concerns for environmental degradation due to the fossil fuel burning have led the scientific community to look for alternative renewable energy sources. Among the available renewable energy sources, bioenergy derived from biomass and waste resources have great potential to not only prevent environmental pollution but also be a carbon neutral energy source. In addition, adaptation of this technology could streamline new green products, alternative energy sources into real-world applications and promote a circular economy towards zero-waste approach. This book tries to bridge the existing knowledge gap in the area of bioenergy resources. The first two chapters provide introduction to the anaerobic digestion (AD) technologies and direct interspecies electron transfer in AD. The next three chapters are on biomass pretreatment technologies for process improvement. The sixth to eighth chapter discuses biogas and other by-product production from specific wastes such from dairy, food and agricultural solid waste. The following two chapters focuses on the downstream processing of anaerobic digestate and on biochar production. Integration of AD in biorefineries using bioelectrochemical systems, syngas fermentation and electricity production are discussed in the next three chapters. The final two chapters elaborates on life cycle assessment of AD based technologies.   

Dr. Arindam Sinharoy 

Dr. Sinharoy is currently working as postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Microbiology and Ryan Institute at National University of Ireland Galway. His current research work focuses on biological removal of chalcogen compounds (sulfur, selenium and tellurium) from wastewater and their recovery as nanoparticles either in their elemental form or as metal chalcogenide particles. Prior to joining NUIG, he completed his Ph.D on biological conversion of carbon monoxide for bioenergy and environmental applications at the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, India. He has authored and co-authored over 20 peer-reviewed journal publications, book chapters and currently editing two books. His areas of research expertise include bioenergy, syngas fermentation, bioprocess development for waste to energy and value added products, biokinetics of pollutant removal, heavy metal removal, chalcogen removal and their bioconversion.  

Prof. Piet N.L. Lens 

Prof.Dr.ir. Lens is established professor of New Energy Technologies at National University Ireland Galway. He is also Professor Environmental Biotechnology at UNESCO-IHE (Delft, the Netherlands), adjunct professor at Tampere University of Technology (Finland) and was previously on the faculty of the Sub-Department of Environmental Technology at Wageningen University (1999-2006), where he still has a zero nomination. Prof. Lens trained in Environmental Sanitation, then obtained his Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering at University Gent (Belgium). He is founding Editor-in-Chief of the Review Journal 'Re/Views in Environmental Science and Bio/Technology' and founding editor of the IWA Publishing series 'Integrated Environmental Technology'. Besides innovative research, he is also a leader in education and capacity-building, initiating several joint MSc and PhD degree programmes and organising numerous study-days, conferences, summer schools and short courses. He has (co-)authored over 550 scientific publications and edited 12 book volumes. His awards include the IWA Publishing Award (2002), a Marie Curie Excellence Grant (2004), nomination as IWA fellow (2010) and IWA Distinguished fellow (2015) and nomination as IBA fellow (2019). His research focuses on biofilms, sulfur biotechnology, metal speciation, bioavailability and removal, natural treatment systems, anaerobic wastewater and waste gas treatment for resource recovery and reuse.