04, November 2024
Around 1.05 billion tonnes of food is wasted worldwide each year, most of it ending up in landfills where it decomposes and releases greenhouse gases. Nearly 8-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions are linked to food that is never consumed. These alarming figures prompt an important question: How can we transform this waste into a valuable resource? One promising solution lies in harnessing biomass-derived bioenergy.
Derived from biomass, bioenergy refers to organic material that comes from plants, animals, and microorganisms, encompassing everything from wood and crop residues to food waste and algae. Plant-based biomass sources include wood, agriculture residues, particularly from sugarcane and food waste, etc. Similarly, algae-based biomass is also known for its potential to produce large amounts of energy with a relatively small environmental footprint.
The most straightforward process, combustion, involves burning biomass to produce heat, which can be used directly or converted into electricity. In this anaerobic digestion, microorganisms break down organic material in the absence of oxygen, producing biogas—a mixture of methane and carbon dioxide—which can be used as a fuel.
Whereas, in gasification, biomass is converted into a gas mixture called syngas, which can be burned to produce electricity or further processed into biofuels. Pyrolysis involves heating biomass in the absence of oxygen, breaking it down into liquid bio-oil, solid biochar, and gases, all of which can be used as energy sources. Biomass, originating particularly from sugars and starches, is fermented by microorganisms to produce ethanol and other biofuels.
In August 2024, the FAO introduced a new FAOSTAT domain focused on bioenergy. Between 1990 and 2022, global bioenergy production nearly doubled, increasing from 28 exajoules (EJ) to 52 EJ. Countries across Europe, Asia, and the Americas are investing in bioenergy technologies to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and promote energy security. With a long history of ethanol production from sugarcane, Brazil has leveraged its vast agricultural resources to become one of the world’s largest producers of bioenergy.
Brazil’s approach to bioenergy demonstrates how renewable resources can transform a nation’s energy sector. Here are some interesting facts:
As of 2024, sugarcane biomass, which includes ethanol, constituted 16.9% of Brazil’s energy matrix, making it the largest source of renewable energy in the country.
Brazil is the second-largest producer of biofuels in the world, with a production volume of 25.6 million tonnes of oil equivalent in 2023.
The country has reached this position without sacrificing its forests, instead expanding biofuel production on over 150 million hectares of degraded land, a significant portion of Brazil’s 851 million hectares.
According to Bruno Serapião, CEO of Atvos, one of Brazil’s leading ethanol producers, this expansion could potentially increase biofuel production by five to six times without the need for deforestation. The Brazilian government has actively promoted bioenergy through policies like Renovabio, a national biofuels policy launched in 2019 that sets mandates and incentives for producing biofuels, including sustainable aviation fuels (SAF). This significant contribution is a result of its strategic investment in bioenergy over the years, driven by both government policy and private sector innovation.
In addition to the above efforts, Brazil’s extensive sugarcane industry plays a crucial role in this effort. Beyond ethanol, sugarcane processing generates bagasse—a fibrous by-product used to produce heat and electricity through combustion in industrial boilers. This process not only contributes to the energy supply but also reduces waste by turning it into a valuable resource.
Notably, other forms of bioenergy, such as biogas and biomethane, are being produced from agricultural and industrial residues, including vinasse, a by-product of sugar-energy production, and waste from pig farming. This strategy highlights Brazil’s comprehensive approach to harnessing its vast organic waste resources for energy, positioning the country as a model for others to follow.
India is also making significant strides in leveraging organic waste for energy production, with innovative projects like the one at Bowenpally Sabzi Mandi in Hyderabad serving as an example.
At this large vegetable market, an innovative bioenergy plant converts unsold and rotting vegetables into electricity and biogas. Each day, approximately 10 tonnes of vegetable waste is collected and processed using an anaerobic digester, which breaks down the organic material to produce methane-rich biogas. The biogas plant produces about 500 units of electricity and 30 kg of biogas daily, meeting the market’s energy needs while significantly reducing the amount of waste sent to landfills.
This initiative, supported by the Indian government, has facilitated a circular economy where no food is wasted. It has a strong environmental impact by reducing methane emissions that would have resulted from decomposing waste in landfills. Additionally, the residual slurry from the digester, rich in nutrients, is used as a bio-fertilizer, further closing the loop by enhancing agricultural productivity.
Despite the growing potential of bioenergy, fossil fuels continue to dominate the global energy source. With the proven environmental benefits of bioenergy, its adoption is limited by cost. Fossil fuels are generally cheaper, particularly in regions like the United States, where biofuels often cost more per gallon than gasoline or diesel.
For instance, in 2024, the average cost of biodiesel in the US ranged from $3.94 to $4.57 per gallon, while regular gasoline was $3.65 per gallon. In Europe, the price disparity is even more pronounced, with biofuels costing up to 130% more than traditional fossil fuels. The higher production costs of biofuels, driven by the price of feedstocks and competition from other industries, make them less economically attractive.
The global food waste problem presents a significant environmental challenge, but it also offers an opportunity. By converting organic waste into bioenergy, we can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, decrease our reliance on fossil fuels, and create a more sustainable future. Countries like Brazil and India are leading the way, demonstrating that with the right strategies, biomass-derived bioenergy can be a viable solution on a global scale. As more nations follow their example, the transition to a cleaner, more sustainable energy future becomes increasingly achievable.
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