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Biofuels

Biofuels

The microbial conversion of organic matter into biofuels holds potential as a renewable energy source. Among biofuel sources, microalgae are recognized as a highly efficient and adaptable feedstock for biodiesel production, owing to their rapid biomass accumulation, elevated lipid productivity, and capacity to proliferate in diverse aquatic systems, including freshwater, marine, and wastewater habitats. Unlike terrestrial crops, microalgae do not compete for land and can achieve significantly...

Microbial Bioremediation of Hydrocarbons

Microbial Bioremediation of Hydrocarbons

Bioremediation is an environmentally sustainable process that employs living organisms—primarily microorganisms—to degrade or neutralize pollutants from contaminated environments. In oil spills and hydrocarbon pollution, bioremediation involves the use of hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria to transform toxic compounds into less harmful substances. This approach leverages natural microbial metabolic processes and is considered both cost-effective and ecologically favorable compared to physical or...

Bioremediation

Bioremediation

Bioremediation is the use of prokaryotes, fungi, or plants to remove pollutants from the environment. This process has been used to remove harmful toxins in groundwater as a byproduct of agricultural run-off and also to clean up oil spills.

Green Algae

Green Algae

Green algae, also referred to as chlorophytes, are different from red algae in having the chloroplasts containing chlorophylls a and b, which give them their distinct green hue. However, they lack phycobiliproteins, preventing them from developing the red or blue-green pigmentation seen in red algae. In terms of photosynthetic pigment composition, green algae closely resemble plants and share a close evolutionary relationship with them. Taxonomically Green algae belong to Phylum Chlorophyta in...

Microbial Fuel Cells

Microbial Fuel Cells

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are bioelectrochemical devices that generate electricity by exploiting the metabolic processes of electrogenic bacteria. These systems provide a renewable energy source and serve as an innovative method for treating organic waste, such as wastewater.A typical MFC consists of two chambers: an anoxic (oxygen-free) compartment that houses the bacteria and an oxic (oxygen-rich) compartment that contains oxygen as the terminal electron acceptor. Many MFCs use proton...

Environmental Applications of Microorganisms

Environmental Applications of Microorganisms

Microorganisms play a pivotal role in maintaining ecosystem balance by recycling essential elements such as carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus, as well as supporting processes like bioremediation, wastewater treatment, and biofuel production.Microbes in Elemental CyclesIn the carbon cycle, microorganisms decompose organic matter, releasing carbon dioxide via aerobic respiration. This carbon dioxide is subsequently used by photosynthetic organisms to synthesize organic compounds, closing the...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 13, 2026

Biomass Conversion to Produce Hydrocarbon Liquid Fuel Via Hot-vapor Filtered Fast Pyrolysis and Catalytic Hydrotreating

Biomass Conversion to Produce Hydrocarbon Liquid Fuel Via Hot-vapor Filtered Fast Pyrolysis and Catalytic Hydrotreating

Published on: December 25, 2016

Large-scale biohydrogen production from bio-oil.

Susanjib Sarkar¹, Amit Kumar

¹Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Bioresource Technology

|May 11, 2010

Summary

Producing biohydrogen from biomass via fast pyrolysis offers a sustainable alternative to natural gas for bitumen upgrading. Whole-tree biomass presents the most cost-effective feedstock for this renewable hydrogen fuel.

Area of Science:

Renewable Energy Engineering
Biomass Conversion Technologies
Techno-economic Analysis

Background:

Bitumen upgrading in Western Canada heavily relies on hydrogen produced from natural gas, a process with significant CO2 emissions.
Exploring renewable feedstocks for hydrogen production is crucial for reducing the carbon footprint of synthetic crude oil production.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop a techno-economic model for biohydrogen production from biomass via fast pyrolysis and steam reforming.
To evaluate the economic viability of using different biomass feedstocks (whole-tree, forest residues, agricultural residues) for hydrogen fuel generation.

Main Methods:

Biomass fast pyrolysis to produce bio-oil, followed by steam reforming to generate hydrogen.
Techno-economic modeling to estimate biohydrogen production costs at a plant capacity of 2000 dry tonnes/day.

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Analysis of feedstock delivery and bio-oil transportation costs up to 500 km.

Main Results:

Delivered biohydrogen costs were estimated at $2.40/kg for whole-tree biomass, $3.00/kg for forest residues, and $4.55/kg for agricultural residues.
Bio-oil production and transportation constituted over 50% of the total biohydrogen production cost.
Carbon credits ranging from $133 to $356/tonne CO2 equivalent could make biohydrogen competitive with natural gas-based hydrogen.

Conclusions:

Whole-tree biomass is the most economical feedstock for biohydrogen production through fast pyrolysis.
Reducing feedstock delivery and bio-oil transportation costs is key to improving the economics of biohydrogen.
Carbon pricing mechanisms are essential to enable biohydrogen to compete with conventional natural gas-based hydrogen.