ESTIMATION OF BIOENERGY POTENTIAL FOR LOCAL BIOMASS IN THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Muhammad Tahir Ashraf; Chuanji Fang; Tomasz Bochenski; Iwona Cybulska; Ayah Alassali; Akinleye Sowunmi; Rashed Farzanah; Grzegorz Przemyslaw Brudecki; Tanmay Chaturvedi; Sabeera Haris; Jens Ejbye Schmidt; Mette Hedegaard Thomsen

doi:10.9755/ejfa.2015-04-060

Authors

Muhammad Tahir Ashraf Institute Center for Energy – iEnergy, Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, PO Box 54224, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Chuanji Fang Institute Center for Energy – iEnergy, Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, PO Box 54224, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Tomasz Bochenski Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering Masdar InstituteAbu Dhabi, UAE
Iwona Cybulska Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering Masdar InstituteAbu Dhabi, UAE
Ayah Alassali Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering Masdar InstituteAbu Dhabi, UAE
Akinleye Sowunmi Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering Masdar InstituteAbu Dhabi, UAE
Rashed Farzanah Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering Masdar InstituteAbu Dhabi, UAE
Grzegorz Przemyslaw Brudecki Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering Masdar InstituteAbu Dhabi, UAE
Tanmay Chaturvedi Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering Masdar InstituteAbu Dhabi, UAE
Sabeera Haris Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering Masdar InstituteAbu Dhabi, UAE
Jens Ejbye Schmidt Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering Masdar InstituteAbu Dhabi, UAE
Mette Hedegaard Thomsen Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering Masdar InstituteAbu Dhabi, UAE

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.9755/ejfa.2015-04-060

Keywords:

bioenergy potential, bioethanol, biomass, biomethane, waste to energy

Abstract

There is a wide biomass spectrum in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Twenty three different biomass and fractions local to the UAE including lignocellulose (date palm, Moringa peregrina, mangroves, and garden trimmings), halophytes (Salicornia sinus-persica, Salicornia bigelovii, Halodule uninervis, Halophila ovalis, and Halophila stipulacea), macroalgae (Ulva Sp., Padina boergesenii, and Colppmenia sinuosa), and wastes (municipal and manures) were analyzed for bioenergy potential. Bioethanol potential of studied biomass is ranging from 55 to 359 kg ethanol / ton dry biomass. The biomethane potential is ranging from 72 to 288 L CH4 / kg VS biomass. The analysis shows that lignocellulosic biomass tends to give the highest bioethanol potential. Macroalgae (P. boergesenii) offers the least bioethanol potential compared with others, while washed Salicornia bigelovii, lignocellulosic garden trimmings, and camel manure are best suited for biomethane production. Significant variations in bioethanol and biomethane potential are noticed between different biomass fractions.