Biomass-based negative emission technology options with combined heat and power generation

Biomass-based combined heat and power (CHP) generation with different carbon capture approaches is investigated in this study. Only direct carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions are considered. The selected processes are (i) a circulating fluidized bed boiler for wood chips connected to an extraction/condensation steam cycle CHP plant without carbon capture; (ii) plant (i), but with post-combustion CO₂ capture; (iii) chemical looping combustion (CLC) of solid biomass connected to the steam cycle CHP plant; (iv) rotary kiln slow pyrolysis of biomass for biochar soil storage and direct combustion of volatiles supplying the steam cycle CHP plant with the CO₂ from volatiles combustion escaping to the atmosphere; (v) case (iv) with additional post-combustion CO₂ capture; and (vi) case (iv) with CLC of volatiles. Reasonable assumptions based on literature data are taken for the performance effects of the CO₂ capture systems and the six process options are compared. CO₂ compression to pipeline pressure is considered. The results show that both bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) and biochar qualify as negative emission technologies (NETs) and that there is an energy-based performance advantage of BECCS over biochar because of the unreleased fuel energy in the biochar case. Additional aspects of biomass fuels (ash content and ash melting behavior) and sustainable soil management (nutrient cycles) for biomass production should be quantitatively considered in more detailed future assessments, as there may be certain biomass fuels, and environmental and economic settings where biochar application to soils is indicated rather than the full conversion of the biomass to energy and CO₂.

     

The oxycoal process with cryogenic oxygen supply

Due to its large reserves, coal is expected to continue to play an important role in the future. However, specific and absolute CO₂ emissions are among the highest when burning coal for power generation. Therefore, the capture of CO₂ from power plants may contribute significantly in reducing global CO₂ emissions. This review deals with the oxyfuel process, where pure oxygen is used for burning coal, resulting in a flue gas with high CO₂ concentrations. After further conditioning, the highly concentrated CO₂ is compressed and transported in the liquid state to, for example, geological storages. The enormous oxygen demand is generated in an air-separation unit by a cryogenic process, which is the only available state-of-the-art technology. The generation of oxygen and the purification and liquefaction of the CO₂-enriched flue gas consumes significant auxiliary power. Therefore, the overall net efficiency is expected to be lowered by 8 to 12 percentage points, corresponding to a 21 to 36% increase in fuel consumption. Oxygen combustion is associated with higher temperatures compared with conventional air combustion. Both the fuel properties as well as limitations of steam and metal temperatures of the various heat exchanger sections of the steam generator require a moderation of the temperatures during combustion and in the subsequent heat-transfer sections. This is done by means of flue gas recirculation. The interdependencies among fuel properties, the amount and the temperature of the recycled flue gas, and the resulting oxygen concentration in the combustion atmosphere are investigated. Expected effects of the modified flue gas composition in comparison with the air-fired case are studied theoretically and experimentally. The different atmosphere resulting from oxygen-fired combustion gives rise to various questions related to firing, in particular, with regard to the combustion mechanism, pollutant reduction, the risk of corrosion, and the properties of the fly ash or the deposits that form. In particular, detailed nitrogen and sulphur chemistry was investigated by combustion tests in a laboratory-scale facility. Oxidant staging, in order to reduce NO formation, turned out to work with similar effectiveness as for conventional air combustion. With regard to sulphur, a considerable increase in the SO₂ concentration was found, as expected. However, the H₂S concentration in the combustion atmosphere increased as well. Further results were achieved with a pilot-scale test facility, where acid dew points were measured and deposition probes were exposed to the combustion environment. Besides CO₂ and water vapour, the flue gas contains impurities like sulphur species, nitrogen oxides, argon, nitrogen, and oxygen. The CO₂ liquefaction is strongly affected by these impurities in terms of the auxiliary power requirement and the CO₂ capture rate. Furthermore, the impurity of the liquefied CO₂ is affected as well. Since the requirements on the liquid CO₂ with regard to geological storage or enhanced oil recovery are currently undefined, the effects of possible flue gas treatment and the design of the liquefaction plant are studied over a wide range.     

Life cycle greenhouse gas emissions, fossil fuel demand and solar energy conversion efficiency in European bioethanol production for automotive purposes

Crop derived biofuels such as (bio)ethanol are increasingly applied for automotive purposes. They have, however, a relatively low efficiency in converting solar energy into automotive power. The outcome of life cycle studies concerning ethanol as to fossil fuel inputs and greenhouse gas emissions associated with such inputs depend strongly on the assumptions made regarding e.g. allocation, inclusion of upstream processes and estimates of environmentally relevant in- and outputs. Peer reviewed studies suggest that CO₂ emissions linked to life cycle fossil fuel input are typically about 2.1–3.0 kg CO₂ kg⁻¹ starch-derived ethanol. When biofuel production involves agricultural practices that are common in Europe there are net losses of carbon from soil and emissions of the greenhouse gas N₂O. Dependent on choices regarding allocation, they may, for wheat (starch) be in the order of 0.6–2.5 kg CO₂ equivalent kg⁻¹ of ethanol. This makes ethanol derived from starch, or sugar crops, in Europe still less attractive for mitigating climate change. In case of wheat, changes in agricultural practice may reduce or reverse carbon loss from soils. When biofuel production from crops leads to expansion of cropland while reducing forested areas or grassland, added impetus will be given to climate change.     

Valuing power plant flexibility with CCS: the case of post-combustion capture retrofits

An important development in recent years has been increased interest in retrofitting CO₂ capture at existing power plants. In parallel, it has also been suggested that flexible operation of power plants with CO₂ capture could be important in at least some jurisdictions. It is likely that retrofitted power plants could have significant ??built-in?? flexibility, but this potential is often not considered in studies of the economic performance of power plants with CO₂ capture. This paper makes a contribution to filling this gap by developing methods for first order screening analysis of flexible operation of power plants with CO₂ capture and applying them to the case study example of an appropriately integrated retrofit of post-combustion capture at a coal-fired power plant. The quantitative analysis suggests that rich solvent storage could be an attractive option on a short-run basis for some fuel, CO₂ and electricity price combinations. Results from first order analysis can then be used to determine which operating modes should (and shouldn??t) be included in further, more detailed design studies.     

Development of a hybrid photo-bioreactor and nanoparticle adsorbent system for the removal of CO2 , and selected organic and metal co-pollutants

Fossil fuel combustion and many industrial processes generate gaseous emissions that contain a number of toxic organic pollutants and carbon dioxide (CO₂) which contribute to climate change and atmospheric pollution. There is a need for green and sustainable solutions to remove air pollutants, as opposed to conventional techniques which can be expensive, consume additional energy and generate further waste. We developed a novel integrated bioreactor combined with recyclable iron oxide nano/micro-particle adsorption interfaces, to remove CO_2, and undesired organic air pollutants using natural particles, while generating oxygen. This semi-continuous bench-scale photo-bioreactor was shown to successfully clean up simulated emission streams of up to 45% CO₂ with a conversion rate of approximately 4% CO₂ per hour, generating a steady supply of oxygen (6 mmol/hr), while nanoparticles effectively remove several undesired organic by-products. We also showed algal waste of the bioreactor can be used for mercury remediation. We estimated the potential CO₂ emissions that could be captured from our new method for three industrial cases in which, coal, oil and natural gas were used. With a 30% carbon capture system, the reduction of CO₂ was estimated to decrease by about 420,000, 320,000 and 240,000 metric tonnes, respectively for a typical 500 MW power plant. The cost analysis we conducted showed potential to scale-up, and the entire system is recyclable and sustainable. We further discuss the implications of usage of this complete system, or as individual units, that could provide a hybrid option to existing industrial setups.     

Analysis of the sustainability of reusing industrial wastes as energy source in the industrial sector of Taiwan

The objective of this paper was to provide a preliminary analysis of energy utilization from industrial waste in Taiwan, a densely populated island country with high dependence on imported energy. The discussion thus focused on the status of industrial waste generation and its management since the year 2002. This paper also presented the updated information about the new/revised regulations concerning the governmental regulations and policies for promoting industrial waste as energy source as well as controlling the emissions of hazardous air pollutants from industrial waste-to-energy facilities. It showed that the main types of combustible waste in the industrial sector of Taiwan include pulp sludge, scrap wood, sugarcane bagasse, textile sludge and scrap plastics, which were being reused as auxiliary fuel in the utilities (e.g., boiler and incinerator). Based on their reported quantities, the energy potential and the environmental benefit of mitigating CO₂ emissions were also analyzed in the study.     

GIS aided prediction of CO2 emission dispersion from geothermal electricity production

CO₂ is the dominant constituent of non-condensable gases in the steam phase of most geothermal fluids. This paper attempts to present the results of a study conducted to develop prediction modeling of CO₂ dispersion in the surrounding atmosphere from a planned 50 MWe geothermal power plant prior to its production. Dispersion models are widely used for predicting future concentrations of environmental emissions on a range of geographic scales. The dispersion type for gases and their average removal rate depends on the meteorological conditions such as wind direction, wind speed, precipitation, atmospheric stability, and surface roughness and topography. Geographic Information System (GIS) capabilities were used for quality visualization of the model outputs and presenting an accurate numerical copy of the study area. The results by the prediction model show that the natural transfer of CO₂ will be from the power plant toward east and northeast and CO₂ concentration trends after the power plant utilization will be similar to the background conditions with minor changes. This dispersion test was carried out to validate and field test the GIS aided dispersion modeling approach described in the paper and the procedure may be applicable for other studies assessing the emission dispersion of pollutants from a point source.     

氢燃料电池汽车动力系统生命周期评价及关键参数对比

发展氢燃料电池汽车被认为是解决能源安全和环境污染问题的理想解决方案之一,为量化探究氢燃料电池汽车动力系统的化石能源消耗和排放情况,运用GaBi软件建模,以新能源汽车相关技术路线为参考,构建我国氢燃料电池汽车动力系统的数据清单并对其全生命周期化石能源消耗和全球变暖潜值情况进行定量评价计算和预测分析,对不同类型的双极板、不同能量控制策略和不同制氢方式对环境的影响分别进行了对比研究,并对关键数据进行了不确定分析.结果表明,预计到2030年我国每台氢燃料电池汽车动力系统生命周期的化石能源消耗量（ADP_f）、全球变暖潜值（GWP,以CO₂ eq计）和酸化潜值（AP,以SO₂ eq计）分别为1.35×10⁵ MJ、9108 kg和15.79 kg.动力系统生产制造阶段的化石能源消耗和全球变暖潜值均高于使用阶段,主要原因是燃料电池堆栈和储氢罐的制造过程.金属双极板、石墨复合双极板和石墨双极板的制造工艺中石墨复合双极板的综合环境效益最好.能量控制策略的优化会使得氢能消耗降低,当氢能消耗降低22.8%时,动力系统的生命周期化石能源消耗和全球变暖潜值分别降低10.4%和8.3%.相比于甲烷蒸气重整制氢,基于混合电网电解水制氢的动力系统生命周期全球变暖潜值高出53.7%[KG-*6],而基于水电电解水制氢降低39.6%.降低动力系统生命周期化石能源消耗和全球变暖潜值的措施包括优化能量控制策略降低氢能消耗、规模化发展可再生能源发电电解水制氢产业和聚焦突破燃料电池堆栈关键技术实现性能提升.     

Greenhouse gas savings potential of sugar cane bio-energy systems

One of the major justifications for bio-energy systems is their low greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions compared to fossil-energy ones. Transforming a sugar mill into a bio-energy plant would contribute to climate change mitigation via the extraction of renewable electricity and ethanol. This study takes the case of the sugar industry in Thailand and identifies scenario options that offer GHG reduction benefits. Improving efficiency in electricity generation from sugar cane residues e.g. excess bagasse and cane trash is such a beneficial option. Furthermore, extracting ethanol in a so-called bio-refinery, where the co-product stillage is utilized for energy, tends to magnify the potential benefit. The largest savings potential achieved with extracting ethanol from surplus sugar versus current practice in the sugar industry in Thailand amounts to 14 million tonnes CO₂e a year. This cannot be realized in practice until the carbon debt from land conversion is repaid, which takes 4.5–7 years, assuming that the land converted is grassland.     

Powering or de-powering future vehicles to reach low carbon outcomes: the long term view 1930–2020

Government in UK has long sought to influence both new vehicle fuel efficiency and to encourage domestic car production. Sixty years of data on the change in car characteristics and fuel economy are analysed. Vehicle specific power has doubled in that time and sales of vehicles have grown preferentially in larger engine classes. New cars sold over the period 1970–2000 have a sale price of £150 per bhp at year 2000 prices. A new theory is proposed that the primary driver for increased power of vehicles, and hence CO₂ production, is the increase in sale price necessitated by uneconomic production of steel vehicles in mature markets. The standard fuel test cycle shows inverse fuel efficiency relationship with weight and with vehicle power. Primary CO₂ reduction targets such as the Kyoto agreement are dimensioned as outputs of energy use per unit time (power); secondary targets such as the ACEA voluntary agreement of 140 g/km in 2008 based on energy per unit distance (efficiency). Failure to focus policy on the key variable of vehicle power has allowed power to continue to increase and inhibit fuel efficiency from meeting the voluntary agreement targets. This power ‘loophole’ in Europe is likened to the emergence of light trucks in response to CAFE standards in USA. New body materials offer the prospect of profitable car production, consumer satisfaction and large reductions in CO₂. New policy directions are proposed as a result of the failure of the ACEA voluntary agreement and the real importance of achieving annual CO₂ reduction including via Cars 21.     

Simulation of a 100-MW solar-powered thermo-chemical air separation system combined with an oxy-fuel power plant for bio-energy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS)

The combination of concentrated solar power–chemical looping air separation (CSP-CLAS) with an oxy-fuel combustion process for carbon dioxide (CO₂) capture is a novel system to generate electricity from solar power and biomass while being able to store solar power efficiently. In this study, the computer program Advanced System for Process Engineering Plus (ASPEN Plus) was used to develop models to assess the process performance of such a process with manganese (Mn)-based oxygen carriers on alumina (Al₂O₃) support for a location in the region of Seville in Spain, using real solar beam irradiance and electricity demand data. It was shown that the utilisation of olive tree prunings (Olea europaea) as the fuel—an agricultural residue produced locally—results in negative CO₂ emissions (a net removal of CO₂ from the atmosphere). Furthermore, it was found that the process with an annual average electricity output of 18 MW would utilise 2.43% of Andalusia’s olive tree prunings, thereby capturing 260.5 k-tonnes of CO₂, annually. Drawbacks of the system are its relatively high complexity, a significant energy penalty in the CLAS process associated with the steam requirements for the loop-seal fluidisation, and the gas storage requirements. Nevertheless, the utilisation of agricultural residues is highly promising, and given the large quantities produced globally (~?4 billion tonnes/year), it is suggested that other novel processes tailored to these fuels should be investigated, under consideration of a future price on CO₂ emissions, integration potential with a likely electricity grid system, and based on the local conditions and real data.

     

Carbon footprint of sugar produced from sugarcane in eastern Thailand

Carbon footprint (CFP) of sugar produced from sugarcane in eastern Thailand was estimated from greenhouse gas emissions (CO₂, CH₄, and N₂O) during the sugarcane cultivation and milling process. The use of fossil fuels, chemical and organic fertilizer and sugarcane biomass data during cultivation were collected from field surveys, questionnaires and interviews. Sugar mill emissions, fossil fuel utilization and greenhouse gas emission from wastewater treatments were included. The results show that sugar production has a carbon footprint of 0.55 kg CO₂e kg^?1 sugar. This carbon footprint was a sum of 0.49 kg CO₂e kg^?1 sugar from sugarcane cultivation and 0.06 kg CO₂e kg^?1 sugar from the milling process. For the cultivation part, most of the GHGs emissions were from fertilizer, fossil fuel use and biomass burning. The CFP in eastern Thailand is sensitive to the type of data selected for calculation and of variations of farm inputs during sugarcane cultivation. There was no significant difference of CFP among farm sizes, although small farms tended to give a relatively higher CFP than that of medium and large farms.     

四川省典型工业行业PM2.5成分谱分析

利用荷电低压颗粒物撞击器(ELPI+)对四川省水泥行业、玻璃行业、陶瓷行业、砖瓦行业、燃煤锅炉、生物质锅炉、电厂、钢铁行业等典型行业开展排放特征测试,通过组分分析,获取各行业PM_(2.5)成分特征谱.结果表明:①水泥、玻璃、陶瓷、砖瓦等建材行业均以Si、Ca、Mg等元素为主要排放组分,双碱法脱硫SO_4~(2-)排放占比高于其他脱硫工艺;②电厂PM_(2.5)中SO_4~(2-)、Ca~(2+)、NH_4~+、Mg和Si为特征组分;燃煤锅炉中OC、Al、Si和Ca等为特征组分;③OC和EC是生物质锅炉PM_(2.5)主要排放组分,成型生物质燃料锅炉中K排放占比也较高,非成型生物质燃料锅炉中Cl~-排放占比为所有行业中最高;④钢铁行业中Ca含量最高,为18. 11%,其次为SO_4~(2-)、Na~+和Fe.     

Biomass-based carbon capture and utilization in kraft pulp mills

Corporate image, European Emission Trading System and Environmental Regulations, encourage pulp industry to reduce carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions. Kraft pulp mills produce CO₂ mainly in combustion processes. The largest sources are the recovery boiler, the biomass boiler, and the lime kiln. Due to utilizing mostly biomass-based fuels, the CO₂ is largely biogenic. Capture and storage of CO₂ (CCS) could offer pulp and paper industry the possibility to act as site for negative CO₂ emissions. In addition, captured biogenic CO₂ can be used as a raw material for bioproducts. Possibilities for CO₂ utilization include tall oil manufacturing, lignin extraction, and production of precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC), depending on local conditions and mill-specific details. In this study, total biomass-based CO₂ capture and storage potential (BECCS) and potential to implement capture and utilization of biomass-based CO₂ (BECCU) in kraft pulp mills were estimated by analyzing the impacts of the processes on the operation of two modern reference mills, a Nordic softwood kraft pulp mill with integrated paper production and a Southern eucalyptus kraft pulp mill. CO₂ capture is energy-intensive, and thus the effects on the energy balances of the mills were estimated. When papermaking is integrated in the mill operations, energy adequacy can be a limiting factor for carbon capture implementation. Global carbon capture potential was estimated based on pulp production data. Kraft pulp mills have notable CO₂ capture potential, while the on-site utilization potential using currently available technologies is lower. The future of these processes depends on technology development, desire to reuse CO₂, and prospective changes in legislation.

     

LCA of environmental and socio-economic impacts related to wood energy production in alpine conditions: Valle di Fiemme (Italy)

An extended Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is performed for evaluating the impacts of a woody biomass supply chain for heating plants in the alpine region. Three main aspects of sustainability are assessed: greenhouse gas emissions, represented by global warming potential (GWP) impact category, costs and direct employment potential. We investigate a whole tree system (innovative logging system) where the harvest of logging residues is integrated into the harvest of conventional wood products. The case study is performed in Valle di Fiemme in Trentino region (North Italy) and includes theoretical and practical elements. The system boundary is the alpine forest fuel system, from logging operations at the forest stand to combustion of woody biofuels at the heating plant. The functional unit is 1 m³ solid over bark of woody biomass, delivered to the district heating plant in Cavalese (Trento). The relative sustainability of traditional and innovative systems is compared and energy use is estimated. Results show that the overall GWP and costs are about 13 kg CO_2equivalent and 42 euro per functional unit respectively for the innovative system. Along the product supply chain, chipping contributes the greatest share of GWP and energy use, while extraction by yarder has the highest financial costs. The GWP is reduced by 2.3 ton CO_2equivalent when bioenergy substitutes fuel oil and 1.7 ton CO_2equivalent when it substitutes natural gas. The sensitivity analysis illustrates that variations in fuel consumption and hourly rates of costs have a great influence on chipping operation and extraction by cable yarder concerning GWP and financial analysis, respectively. This is confirmed by sensitivity analysis. Better technologies, the use of biofuels along the product supply chain and more efficient systems might reduce these impacts. Replacing the traditional system with the innovative one reduces emissions and costs. A low energy input ratio is required for harvesting logging residues. The direct employment potential is a conflicting aspect and needs further investigations.     

Least cost electricity generation options based on environmental impact abatement

The power sector in Thailand is the largest contributor to CO₂ emissions. There is high potential to mitigate CO₂ emission via alternative power generating plants. Alternative plants considered in this study include nuclear plants, integrated gasification combined cycle plants, biomass-based plants and supercritical thermal power plants. The biomass-based plants considered here are fueled with four types of biomass; paddy husk, municipal solid waste (MSW), fuel wood and corncob. The methodology for the optimal expansion plan of the power generating system over the planning horizon is based on the least-cost approach. The results from the least-cost planning analyses show that the nuclear alternative has the highest potential to mitigate not only CO₂ but also other airborne emissions. Moreover, the nuclear option is the most effective abatement strategy for CO₂ reduction due to its negative incremental cost of CO₂ reduction.     

Life cycle assessment of an industrial symbiosis based on energy recovery from dried sludge and used oil

Recovering energy from wastes is a useful strategy for integrated waste and energy management in an eco-industrial park (EIP) and gives promising reduction of wastes, total energy consumption and operation cost. In Jinqiao EIP, Pudong New Area, Shanghai, an industrial symbiosis, based on the energy recovery from municipal sewage sludge and re-refined oil, was proposed in the central heat-supplying company of Jinqiao EIP. It is expected that hot off-gas or part of the steam from the central heat-supplying company could be used for sludge drying and used oil re-refining while the dried sludge and refined oil can be partial substitution for fossil fuel. For the purpose of assessing the environmental performance of this industrial symbiosis, life cycle assessment (LCA) was used and different scenarios were set up in this study to evaluate the Global warming Potential (GWP), Acidification Potential (AP), Eutrophication Potential (EP), Human toxicity air (HTA) and Total Environmental Impact Potential (TEIP) of the system. Results indicate that when the substitute ratio of coal by sludge is 14%, the proposed industrial symbiosis has the least environmental impact. Compared with the current situation (sludge is landfilled), co-combustion of dried sludge and re-refined oil with coal at optimal scale will release less CO₂, CH₄, NO_x, N₂O and CO, but more SO₂, H₂S, NH₃, HCl, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOC) and heavy metals.     

大气14CO2的时空分异特征及其在化石源CO2示踪中的应用

大气CO₂中放射性碳同位素(¹⁴C)的水平可以反映化石源CO₂的影响程度,这对于评估我国目前化石源CO₂的排放状况和制定节能减排政策具有重要的指导意义。本文在概述大气¹⁴CO₂采样和分析方法的基础上,简要介绍了大气¹⁴CO₂观测的起源和主要的源汇过程,重点论述了大气¹⁴CO₂的时空分异特征及其驱动因素;阐述了化石源CO₂浓度的估算方法及¹⁴CO₂在国内外化石源CO₂示踪中的应用现状,并对大气¹⁴CO₂观测在我国化石源CO₂示踪中的应用前景进行了展望;旨在为我国正确地开展大气¹⁴CO₂的观测研究,深刻地理解特定区域大气¹⁴CO₂的时空分异特征和化石源CO₂的分布状况提供参考。     

郑州市公交车队电动化减污降碳环境效益

公交车队电动化是道路交通部门实现减污降碳的重要手段,评估当前公交车队电动化减排成效,对推进大中型城市公交全面电动化具有重要参考意义.基于燃料生命周期法分析了郑州市公交车队电动化前后CO₂和污染物排放特征,并评估了不同电动化情景下的车队排放.结果表明,本轮电动化使公交车队燃料生命周期内CO₂和PM_2.5排放量分别增长32.6%和42.6%,CO、NO_x和VOC排放量下降了28%,34%和25%.优化发电结构对于电动化过程中的CO₂及PM_2.5减排尤为重要,在全面电动化和发电结构优化的最佳情景下,CO₂、CO、NO_x、VOC和PM_2.5减排可达38.7%、80.1%、84.4%、92.2%、30.2%.在全面电动化进程中,应优先对中长里程线路车辆进行电动化替换,此外,插电混动天然气车型的纯电动化替换对减排利弊兼有,同步推进车队替换和电力结构调整进程才能实现减污降碳协同增效.     

Palm oil and the emission of carbon-based greenhouse gases

The current use of South Asian palm oil as biofuel is far from climate neutral. Dependent on assumptions, losses of biogenic carbon associated with ecosystems, emission of CO₂ due to the use of fossil fuels and the anaerobic conversion of palm oil mill effluent currently correspond in South Asia with an emission of about 2.8–19.7 kg CO₂ equivalent per kg of palm oil. Using oil palm and palm oil processing wastes for the generation of energy and preventing further conversion of tropical forest into oil palm plantations by establishing new plantations on non-peaty degraded soils can, however, lead to large cuts in the emission of carbon-based greenhouse gases currently associated with the palm oil lifecycle.