VOC emissions from the combustion of low-grade lignocellulosic waste

European Commission is promoting the usage of renewable energy and the replacement of fossil fuels with biomass. Two-thirds of renewable energy will be derived by biomass by 2020 (European Commission. 2012. Roadmap 2050. DOI: 10.2833/10759). However, increasing need for biomass generates sustainability issues by land-use change. Biomass waste as biofuels do not affect land-use, therefore the sustainability potential is improved (Searchinger T, Heimlich R, Houghton RA, Dong F, Elobeid A, Fabiosa J, Tokgoz S, Hayes D, Yu T-H. 2008. Use of U.S. croplands for biofuels increases greenhouse gases through emissions from land-use change. Science. 319:1238–1240). However, biomass waste contaminates could release toxic VOCs, and also particulates and ash may contain non-VOCs such as heavy metals (Pitman RM. 2006. Wood ash use in forestry-a review of environmental impacts. Forestry. 79(5):563–588). This study investigates the VOC combustion emissions of low-grade lignocellulosic waste to determine the suitability wood wastes as bio-fuel.