Major Biomass Resources

Taking into account the growing energy consumption and domestic energy supply constraints, Malaysia has set sustainable development and diversification of energy sources, as the economy’s main energy policy goals. The Five-Fuel Strategy recognises renewable energy resources as the economy’s fifth fuel after oil, coal, natural gas and hydro. Being a major agricultural commodity producer in the region Malaysia is well positioned amongst the ASEAN countries to promote the use of biomass as a renewable energy source

Biomass feedstock has long been identified as a sustainable source of renewable energy particularly in countries where there is abundant agricultural activities. Malaysia has tremendous biomass and wood waste resources available for immediate exploitation. This energy potential of biomass wastes is yet to be exploited properly in the country. Intensive use of biomass as renewable energy source could reduce dependency on fossil fuels and significant advantage lies in reduction of net carbon dioxide emissions to atmosphere leading to less greenhouse effect. However, increased competitiveness will require advances in technologies for converting this biomass to biofuel efficiently and economically.

Major Biomass Resources

• Agricultural crops e.g. sugarcane, cassava, corn
• Agricultural residues e.g. rice straw, cassava rhizome, corncobs
• Woody biomass e.g. fast-growing trees, wood waste from wood mill, sawdust
• Industrial wastes e.g. rice husks from rice mills, molasses and bagasse from sugar refineries, residues from palm oil mills
• Municipal solid waste
• Livestock manure

Malaysia is the world’s leading exporter of palm oil, exporting more than 13.75 million tonnes of palm oil in 2007. The extraction of palm oil from palm fruits results in a large quantity of waste in the form of empty fruit bunches shells and fruit fibre. In 2004, more than 25 million tons of oil palm biomass was generated. Apart from palm biomass waste, two other products from this industry can mitigate climate change – palm biogas and biofuel. Processing crude palm oil generates a foul-smelling effluent that, when treated using anaerobic processes, releases biogas. 

Rice husk is another important agricultural biomass resource in Malaysia with very good energy potential for power cogeneration. An example of its attractive energy potential is biomass power plant in the state of Perlis which uses rice husk as the main source of fuel and generates 10 MW power to meet the requirements of 30,000 households - www.bioenergyconsult.com

Biomass Potentials

Sustainable and renewable natural resources such as biomass can supply potential raw materials for energy conversion. In Indonesia, they comprise variable-sized wood from forests (i.e. natural forests, plantations and community forests that commonly produce small-diameter logs used as firewood by local people), woody residues from logging and wood industries, oil-palm shell waste from crude palm oil factories, coconut shell wastes from coconut plantations, as well as skimmed coconut oil and straw from rice cultivation.

There are 39 palm oil plantations and mills currently operating in Indonesia, and at least eight new plantations are under construction. Most palm oil mills generate combined heat and power from fibres and shells, making the operations energy self –efficient. However, the use of palm oil residues can still be optimized in more energy efficient systems.

Other potential source of biomass energy can also come from municipal wastes. The quantity of city or municipal wastes in Indonesia is comparable with other big cities of the world. Most of these wastes are originated from household in the form of organic wastes from the kitchen. At present the wastes are either burned at each household or collected by the municipalities and later to be dumped into a designated dumping ground or landfill. 

Although the government is providing facilities to collect and clean all these wastes, however, due to the increasing number of populations coupled with inadequate number of waste treatment facilities in addition to inadequate amount of allocated budget for waste management, most of big cities in Indonesia had been suffering from the increasing problem of waste disposals - www.bioenergyconsult.com

List of Foods High in Soluble Fiber

pears are an excellent source of soluble fiber Photo Credit Kathleen C Petersen/iStock/Getty Images

Dietary fiber is found in fruits, vegetables and grains and should be included as part of a healthy diet. There are two forms of dietary fiber: soluble and insoluble fiber. Both are essential for your health and digestion. The role of soluble fiber in digestion is to attract water which turns it into a gel and slows digestion. Soluble fiber is proven to lower cholesterol and decrease the risk of heart disease.

Grains

Barley is high is soluble fiber 

Photo Credit Şafak Oğuz/iStock/Getty Images

Oat, bran and barley are highest in soluble fiber. Oatmeal provides a total of 4 grams of dietary fiber per serving. Of the 4 grams of dietary fiber, 2 grams are soluble fiber. Bran provides 6 grams of dietary fiber per one-quarter cup. One serving of bran cereal provides up to 3 grams of soluble fiber. Barley, bulgur, whole wheat spaghetti and wheat germ contain 4 grams of dietary fiber including 1 gram of soluble fiber - www.lifestrong.com

 Nuts and Seeds

almonds have about 1 gram of soluble fiber per serving Photo Credit Katie Nesling/iStock/Getty Images

Peanuts have the most soluble fiber per serving for nuts. In one-quarter cup of dry roasted peanuts, you will get 1 gram of soluble fiber and a total of 3 grams of dietary fiber. Almonds and Brazil nuts both have at least 1 gram of soluble fiber per serving. Flax seeds provide almost 7 grams of soluble fiber in one-third cup, one of the richest sources available you can add to entrees or sprinkle on cereal. Sesame seeds and sunflower seeds both provide 2.5 grams of soluble fiber, 

Beans , Lentils and Peas

lentils are have more soluble fiber than beans and peas Photo Credit studiocascella/iStock/Getty Images

Lentils provide the most dietary fiber per serving compared to beans and peas. In just one-half cup of lentils, you get 8 grams of dietary fiber, including 1 gram of soluble fiber. However, beans contain the most soluble fiber per serving. Lima beans, baked beans and kidney beans provide 3 grams of soluble fiber per one-half cup serving. Navy beans, also high in soluble fiber, provide 2 grams per serving. Most peas provide 1 gram of soluble fiber per serving.


Fruits and Vegetables

there are 3 grams of soluble fiber in a peach

Photo Credit Liv Friis-Larsen/iStock/Getty Images

Several fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of both dietary fiber and soluble fiber. One large pear has the highest soluble fiber content, with 3 grams per peach. Apples, blueberries, plums, strawberries, fresh and dried apricots, bananas, oranges, cherries, dates, peaches, dried prunes, raisins, cantaloupe, grapefruits, grapes and pineapple are all good sources of soluble fiber. Vegetables containing at least 1 gram of soluble fiber per serving include parsnips, carrots, brussels sprouts, baked potato with skin, spinach, squash, string beans, cabbage, baked sweet potato, turnips, broccoli, kale and zucchini.
www.lifestrong.com

Cassava Foods

Is Cassava a Source of High-Calorie Foods?

Cassava root on a plate. Photo Credit LRArmstrong/iStock/Getty Images

Cassava plants produce fleshy roots that are high in carbohydrates and low in both fat and protein. The cassava roots can be bitter and even poisonous if eaten raw. Correctly prepared and detoxified, cassava can be used much like a potato due to its high-starch content and is often eaten baked or fried. This moderate-calorie root is also known as tapioca and can be found in puddings and other baked goods

Calories
One cup of raw cassava contains 330 calories. When prepared as a 1-oz. serving of chips, about 23, the cassava contains 147 calories. The FDA considers foods that are between 100 and 400 calories per serving to be moderate-calorie foods.

Fat
A serving of raw cassava contains 0.5 g fat. When prepared as chips, a 1-oz. serving provides 7.4 g fat. The difference in fat content is primarily due to the oils used to fry the cassava when making chips. The chips contain about 2.5 g saturated fat, making up 12.5 percent of your daily recommended saturated fat intake. Keep your saturated fat intake to fewer than 20 g per day to help reduce the risks of heart disease.

Carbohydrates
Cassava are made primarily of carbohydrates. A serving of raw cassava contains 78 g carbohydrates. One ounce of cassava chips provide about 20 g carbohydrate. Consume about 45 to 60 g carbohydrates per meal to help manage blood sugar levels. If you are diabetic, monitor your intake of other carbohydrate-containing foods when eating cassava to help avoid high blood sugar levels.

Protein
A 1-cup serving of cassava provides 2.8 g protein. Cassava chips contain even less protein at 0.38 g per serving. A study by Kevin Stephenson, et al., and published in the February 2010 issue of "Nutrition Journal," found inadequate protein intake in children who consumed cassava as a dietary staple. Dietary protein interventions were recommended to help promote healthy growth and development. The body needs protein to function properly. Include other protein containing foods at meals when consuming cassava.

For more information please visit website: www.lifestrong.com

Biomass Resources

Being an agricultural country, Vietnam has very good biomass energy potential. Agricultural wastes are most abundant in the Mekong Delta region with approximately 50% of the amount of the whole country and Red River Delta with 15%. Major biomass resources includes rice husk from paddy milling stations, bagasse from sugar factories, coffee husk from coffee processing plants in the Central Highlands and wood chip from wood processing industries. Vietnam has set a target of having a combined capacity of 500 MW of biomass power by 2020, which is raised to 2,000 MW in 2030.

Rice husk and bagasse are the biomass resources with the greatest economic potential, estimated at 50 MW and 150 MW respectively. Biomass fuels sources that can also be developed include forest wood, rubber wood, logging residues, saw mill residues, sugar cane residues, bagasse, coffee husk and coconut residues. Currently biomass is generally treated as a non-commercial energy source, and collected and used locally. Nearly 40 bagasse-based biomass power plants have been developed with a total designed capacity of 150 MW but they are still unable to connect with the national grid due to current low power prices. Five cogeneration systems selling extra electricity to national grid at average price of 4UScents/kWh.

Biogas energy potential is approximately 10 billion m3/year, which can be collected from landfills, animal excrements, agricultural residues, industrial wastewater etc. The biogas potential in the country is large due to livestock population of more than 30 million, mostly pigs, cattle, and water buffalo. Although most livestock dung already is used in feeding fish and fertilizing fields and gardens, there is potential for higher-value utilization through biogas production. It is estimated that more than 25,000 household biogas digesters with 1 to 50 m3, have been installed in rural areas.

For more information please visit website: www.bioenergyconsult.com

Biomass

Thailand’s annual energy consumption has risen sharply during the past decade and will continue its upward trend in the years to come. While energy demand has risen sharply, domestic sources of supply are limited, thus forcing a significant reliance on imports.

To face this increasing demand, Thailand needs to produce more energy from its own renewable resources, particularly biomass wastes derived from agro-industry, such as bagasse, rice husk, wood chips, livestock and municipal wastes.

The major biomass resources in Thailand include the following:

• Woody biomass residues from forest plantations
• Agricultural residues (rice husk, bagasse, corn cobs, etc.)
• Wood residues from wood and furniture industries    (bark, sawdust, etc.)
• Biomass for ethanol production (cassava, sugar cane, etc.)
• Biomass for biodiesel production (palm oil, jatropha oil, etc.)
• Industrial wastewater from agro-industry
• Livestock manure
• Municipal solid wastes and sewage

Thailand’s vast biomass potential has been partially exploited through the use of traditional as well as more advanced conversion technologies for biogas, power generation, and biofuels. Rice, sugar, palm oil, and wood-related industries are the major potential biomass energy sources. The country has a fairly large biomass resource base of about 60 million tons generated each year that could be utilized for energy purposes, such as rice, sugarcane, rubber sheets, palm oil and cassava.

Biomass has been a primary source of energy for many years, used for domestic heating and industrial cogeneration. For example, paddy husks are burned to produce steam for turbine operation in rice mills; bagasse and palm residues are used to produce steam and electricity for on-site manufacturing process; and rubber wood chips are burned to produce hot air for rubber wood seasoning.

For more information please visit website: www.bioenergyconsult.com

Rice Husk Properties

Properties of Rice Husk

Recent interest on the environmental impact of polymer-based materials has lead to the development of new products prepared with recycled polymers and/or containing biodegradable materials. Lignocellulosic plastic composites constitute an important set within this kind of materials showing several advantages over traditional mineral-filled plastic composites: low density, low production costs, biodegradability, renewability, etc. Stiffness, hardness and dimensional stability of plastics have also been improved by incorporation of lignocellulosic fillers .

However, the use of agro-fibers shows some drawbacks such as degradation at relatively low temperature due to the presence of cellulose and hemicellulose. This early thermal degradation limits the allowed processing temperature to less than 200 ºC and restricts the type of thermoplastics that can be used with agro-fibres to some commodity plastics such as PE, PP, PVC and PS^[3]. Natural fiber/PP composites have been used in automotive applications and recently they have been investigated for using in construction, such as building profiles, decking, railing products, etc.^1,4. 
Other factors should be taken into account when designing composites made of lignocellulosic fibers for specific applications, among them its poor resistance to moisture⁵. Outdoor applications have raised the interest on this property since moisture absorbed by the composite led to dimensional changes and to decreasing mechanical performance⁴. These negative effects can be reduced if the fibers are encapsulated in the plastic with good adhesion between the fibers and the matrix. The addition of a compatibilizer has been a useful tool for achieving such adhesion. Maleic anhydride-grafted PP (MAPP) is the most common compatibilizer used to improve interfacial adhesion for bio-fillers/apolar thermoplastic matrices even so new alternatives are being currently studied.

Rice husk (RH) is one of the major agricultural residues produced as a by-product during rice processing. Usually it has been a problem for rice farmers due to its resistance to decomposition in the ground, difficult digestion and low nutritional value for animals⁸. According to Marti-Ferrer the lignin and hemicellulose contents of rice husk are lower than wood whereas the cellulose content is similar. For this reason RHF can be processed at higher temperatures than wood. Therefore, the use of rice husk in the manufacture of polymer composites is attracting much attention.

The group of Kim, in Korea, has published many studies dealing with PP-rice husk composites^9-14. They observed that tensile and impact strengths (notched and unnotched specimens) decreased with increasing filler loading while the elastic modulus increased^9,11. The thickness swelling and the absorption of water were shown to slightly increase as the filler loading increased, but this was to a negligible extent as compared with wood-based composites. Despite the low properties of the composites the researchers concluded that rice husk flour could be utilized as a biodegradable filler to minimize environmental pollution⁹. Addition of PPMA as coupling agent improved the water absorption properties¹⁰. In other studies the researchers verified improvements in thermal stability, dynamic mechanical properties, tensile properties and crystallinity with addition of MAPP.

Despite of the great interest on lightweight materials few studies have focused on determining the density of natural fibers-filled polymer composites. In the present study we used a thermoplastic polymer as matrix (PP) and rice husk flour (RHF) as filler to prepare composites. PP modified with maleic anhydride (MAPP) was used as coupling agent. The objective of the work was to explore the effect of RHF loading and the presence of MAPP on the density, mechanical properties and water absorption behavior of the composites.

For more information please visit website: www.scielo.br

Rice Husk Properties

Definition
" Rice husk ash (RHA) which has the pozzolanic properties is a way forward. An intensive study on RHA was conducted to determine its suitability".

Rice hulls

Rice hulls (or rice husks) are the hard protecting coverings of grains of rice. In addition to protecting rice during the growing season, rice hulls can be put to use as building material, fertilizer, insulation material, or fuel.

Production 

Rice hulls are the coatings of seeds, or grains, of rice. The husk protects the seed during the growing season, since it is formed from hard materials, including opaline silica and lignin. The hull is mostly indigestible to humans.

Winnowing, used to separate the rice from hulls, is to put the whole rice into a pan and throw it into the air while the wind blows. The light hulls are blown away while the heavy rice fall back into the pan. Later pestles and a simple machine called a rice pounder were developed to remove hulls. In 1885 the modern rice hulling machine was invented in Brazil. During the milling processes, the hulls are removed from the raw grain to reveal whole brown rice, which may then sometimes be milled further to remove the bran layer, resulting in white rice.

Rice Hulls Ash ( RHA)

Combustion of rice hulls affords rice husk ash (acronym RHA). This ash is a potential source of amorphous reactive silica, which has a variety of applications in materials science. Most of the ash is used in the production of Portland cement When burnt completely, the ash can have a blaine number of as much as 3,600 compared to the blaine number of cement between 2,800 to 3,000, meaning it is finer than cement. Silica is the basic component of sand, which is used with cement for plastering and concreting. This fine silica will provide a very compact concrete. The ash also is a very good thermal insulation material. The fineness of the ash also makes it a very good candidate for sealing fine cracks in civil structures, where it can penetrate deeper than the conventional cement sand mixture.

A number of possible uses for RHA include absorbents for oils and chemicals, soil ameliorants, a source of silicon, insulation powder in steel mills, as repellents in the form of "vinegar-tar" release agent in the ceramics industry, as an insulation material. More specialized applications include the use of this material as a catalyst support.

Pet Food Fiber
Rice hulls are the outermost covering of the rice and come as organic rice hulls and natural rice hulls. Rice hulls are an inexpensive byproduct of human food processing, serving as a source of fiber that is considered a filler ingredient in pet foods.

Tire Additive 
Goodyear announced plans to use rice hulls ash as a source for tire additive - Wikipedia 

Rice Paper

Rice paper is an umbrella term that has been used to collectively refer to several paper-like materials from East-Asia made from various plants. In different context rice paper may refer to:

• Thin peeled dried pith of Tetrapanax papyrifer: A sheet-like "paper" material was used extensively in late 19th century Guangdong China as a common support medium for gouache paintings sold to Western clients of the era. The term was first defined in the Chinese-English Dictionary of Robert Morrison who referred to the use of the Chinese medicinal plant as material for painting, as well as for making artificial flowers and shoe soles.
• Xuan paper made from paper mulberry: The traditional paper which originated in ancient China and it has been used for centuries in China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam for writing, artwork, and architecture.
• Various pulp-based papers: May be made from the rice straw or other plants, such as hemp and bamboo.
• Dried starch sheets of various thickness or texture: These edible paper sheets have some properties of pulp paper and can be made from rice starch. They are known as banh trang, used in Vietnamese cuisine.

Rice Paper Plant

In Europe, around the 1900s, a paperlike substance was originally known as rice paper, due to the mistaken notion that it is made from rice. 

The plant grows in the swampy forests of Taiwan, and is also cultivated as an ornamental plant for its large, exotic leaves. In order to produce the paper, the boughs are boiled and freed from bark. The cylindrical core of pith is rolled on a hard flat surface against a knife, by which it is cut into thin sheets of a fine ivory-like texture.

Edible Paper
Edible rice paper is used for making fresh summer rolls(salad rolls) or fried spring rolls in Vietnamese cuisine, where the rice paper is called bánh tráng or bánh đa nem. Ingredients of the food rice paper include white rice flour, tapioca flour, salt, and water. The tapioca powder makes the rice paper glutinous and smooth. It is usually sold dried in thin, crisp, translucent round sheets that are wrapped in cellophane. The sheets are dipped briefly in hot water to soften them, then wrapped around savoury or sweet ingredients.Edible paper is used in the home baking of foods such as macaroons and is often sold separately as colored sheets that are either plain or printed with images, such as bank notes and dollar bills.

Rice Paper in Media
Rice paper was a central feature in the opening scenes of the TV show Kung Fu, where the young Kwai Chang Caine rolled out a long length of rice paper and walked on it, trying to leave behind no trace of his passage. " When you can walk along its length and leave no trace, it will be time for you to leave."- Wikipedia