9 research outputs found
Review of biochar role as additive in anaerobic digestion processes
because of the urgent need to provide renewable energy sources and efficiently manage the continuously
growing amount of organic waste. Biochar (BC) is an extremely versatile material, which could be produced by
carbonization of organic materials, including biomass and wastes, consistently with Circular Economy principles,
and “tailor-made” for specific applications. The potential BC role as additive in the control of the many wellknown
critical issues of AD processes has been increasingly explored over the past few years. However, a
clear and comprehensive understanding of the connections between BC and AD is still missing. This review paper
analyses and discusses significant references (review articles, research papers and international databases and
reports), mostly published in the last 10 years. This review is aimed at addressing three key issues related to the
better understanding of the BC role in AD processes: 1. Investigation of the influence of BC properties on AD
performances and of their ability to counteract its main challenges; 2. Assessment of the optimal BC production
chain (i.e. feedstock-pyrolysis-activation) to achieve the desired features; 3. Evaluation of the economic and
environmental advantages connected to BC use in AD processes, compared to conventional solutions applied to
address AD challenges