Special Issue on Recent Advances in Fundamentals and Applications of Biomass Energy

Abstract

Biomass energy is a promising sustainable alternative for rapidly depleting fossil fuels. This form of energy is widely being considered by policy makers, scientific researchers, and engineers worldwide since the energy issue is of serious concern for global economy, environment, standards of living, and productivity. The use of biomass energy can effectively narrow the increasing energy gap between energy availability and energy use. Furthermore, it can also help mitigate environmental issues as biomass is renewable, sustainable, carbon-neutral, abundantly available, and it provides low emissions levels of NOx, SOx, and hydrocarbons. Efficient use of biomass energy depends on good understanding of the fundamentals of resource characteristics, conversion processes, and specific utilization system(s) of biomass energy conversion. Therefore, the main motivation of this special issue of ASME Journal of Energy Resources Technology (JERT) is to bring together original articles on the fundamentals and applications of biomass energy with respect to resource characteristics, conversion processes, reaction properties, and utilization systems of biomass energy.