Energy from biomass and wastes: 1980 update

Conference · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1981

OSTI ID:5295215

Klass, D L

The status of the technology on energy from biomass and wastes in the United States is reviewed. The Energy Security Act and other Federal laws enacted in 1980 have resulted in a major increase of funding to commercialize energy from biomass and wastes, particularly those processes that manufacture ethanol. Research and development on biomass production, gasification, and liquefaction have continued to cover all facets of the technology. However, changes in the direction of many of these programs are occurring to give near-term objectives higher priority. Despite the flurry of activity and the development of new concepts, integrated biomass-to-energy systems are still non-existent. Commercial technology currently includes fermentation ethanol plants; wood and municipal solid waste combustion plants for heat, steam, and electric power production; small-scale anaerobic digesters for farm wastes; air-blown wood gasification units for low-Btu gas manufacture; moderate-scale methane recovery systems in wastewater treatment plants and solid waste landfills; and one municipal solid waste gasification plant. Near-term commercial projects include a small-scale thermochemical waste gasification plant and a moderate-scale anaerobic digestion plant for manure. Several fermentation alcohol and waste combustion plants and landfill methane systems are either in the construction or advanced design stages. Overall, 1980 showed a modest increase in small- and moderate-scale commercial energy recovery systems fueled with biomass and wastes. The usage rate is definitely increasing.

• OSTI ID: 5295215
• Report Number(s): CONF-810116-
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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AGRICULTURAL WASTES
ALCOHOL FUELS
ALCOHOLS
ALKANES
ANAEROBIC DIGESTION
BIOCONVERSION
BIOMASS
BIOMASS CONVERSION PLANTS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMBUSTION
COMMERCIALIZATION
DIGESTION
ENERGY SOURCE DEVELOPMENT
ENERGY SOURCES
ETHANOL
FUELS
GASIFICATION
HEATING
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
MANAGEMENT
METHANE
MUNICIPAL WASTES
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC WASTES
OXIDATION
POWER GENERATION
PROCESSING
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
SANITARY LANDFILLS
SOLID WASTES
STEAM GENERATION
SYNTHETIC FUELS
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
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WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTE PROCESSING PLANTS
WASTES
WOOD WASTES