Energy Recovery from Complex Biomass Waste: Innovations in Biological and Thermochemical Technologies

Submission Deadline: 15 March 2027 View: 69 Submit to Special Issue

Guest Editor(s)

Dr. Pham Van Dinh

Email: dinhpv@huce.edu.vn

Affiliation: Head of Solid waste Lab, Faculty of Environmental Engineering, Hanoi University of Civil Engineering, 55 Giai Phong Road, Hanoi, Vietnam

Homepage:

Research Interests: anaerobic digestion, biological processing hydrothermal carbonization, pyrolysis

Dr. Hoang Tuan Dung

Email: tuandunghoang@gmail.com

Affiliation: 1. School of Interdisciplinary Sciences and Arts, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Hanoi, Vietnam

2. School of Chemistry and Life Science, Hanoi University of Science and Technology, Hanoi, Vietnam

Homepage:

Research Interests: biomass conversion, environmental engineering, renewable energy, sustainability

Summary

The exponential generation of complex biomass waste, such as agricultural residues, food waste, and sewage sludge, presents a critical environmental challenge, yet it holds immense potential as a renewable energy resource. As the global shift toward a circular economy accelerates, conventional waste management often falls short. This necessitates advanced conversion technologies capable of handling high-moisture and structurally complex organics efficiently to ensure sustainable energy recovery.

This Special Issue aims to address these bottlenecks by exploring cutting-edge innovations in biomass waste valorization. We seek to bridge the gap between biological pathways, specifically Anaerobic Digestion (AD), and thermochemical processes like Hydrothermal Carbonization (HTC) and Pyrolysis. We particularly encourage research that highlights the synergy and integration of these methods, such as the valorization of AD residual via physicochemical routes to achieve zero-waste systems, maximize cascading energy recovery, and co-produce value-added materials like hydrochar, biochar for carbon sequestration and other values matter.

Suggested themes include, but are not limited to:
· Advancements in Anaerobic Digestion, HTC, and Pyrolysis of complex organic wastes;
· Integrated hybrid systems (e.g., coupling AD with thermochemical processes);
· Valorization of AD digestate for energy and biochar/hydrochar production;
· Innovative pre-treatment strategies for high-moisture biomass waste;
· Process modeling, techno-economic analysis (TEA), and life cycle assessment (LCA) of waste-to-energy systems.

We look forward to receiving your outstanding contributions.

Keywords