Most of the world’s energy supplies have come from coal, oil and gas. Scarcity of natural resources, surging energy prices and global warming had focused attention on renewable energy, and consequently, alternative approaches to producing bio-energy. Over the last five years, one particular technology for the production of biocoal - Hydrothermal Carbonization (HTC) - has undergone significant development and has become a subject of major scientific interest. Hydrothermal carbonization entails a conversion process of biomass. In natural conditions production of coal from biomass is slow and can take up to millions of years, whereas biocoal can be produced in just a few hours. During the process, heat is released and water molecules are split off from carbohydrate and what remains is a carbon-rich material -- the biocoal. However, the ongoing discussion on biomass utilization largely neglects one remarkable aspect of the process, namely, the huge CO2 and methane emissions produced by biomass residue. No wonder, that researchers continue their quest for novel solutions for the utilization and recycling of by-products of hydrothermal carbonization. In industrial settings, and especially by rising composting costs, the economic business case for the valorization (or recycling) of by-products of hydrothermal carbonization seems a valuable contribution to resource conservation and sustainable energy.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/03/140326114512.htm
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