Thread Content
From 1999 to 2003, in response to the problem of black liquor pollution caused by straw pulping in China, I proposed the idea of using potassium sulfite as a cooking agent to obtain both pulp and potassium lignin fertilizer, and conducted three years of experimental work. As a result, I was granted one invention patent, which is the \"greatest achievement\" I have obtained to date! However, in subsequent further research, I realized that the challenges associated with developing and utilizing straw were too great to overcome on an individual basis, so I gave up, which is a great pity! Therefore, there is still a hope to continue this research in a new environment and under new conditions. This article reflects the understanding of biomass resources gained through research in those years and from my work on biodiesel development in recent years; I hope it can serve as an inspiration to everyone! Biomass is the most widespread substance on Earth; it includes all animals, plants, and microorganisms, as well as the many organic substances that are derived from, excreted by, and metabolized by these living organisms. All types of biomass possess a certain amount of energy. Energy generated from biomass using biomass as a carrier is known as bioenergy. Biodiesel Chemical Industry Forum: Biomass resources are likely to be the most competitive traditional alternatives to petroleum resources. Currently, a major area of focus in the development of biomass, especially agricultural straws, is the fermentation of these materials to produce ethanol, which is closely aligned with the policy advocated by the National Development and Reform Commission regarding the use of non-grain resources for the production of biodiesel and ethanol fuels. China’s development relies on the resources of the world; its own resources alone are insufficient to meet its needs for prosperity and strength. The most basic living conditions for humans are food and fresh water. Therefore, the number of people the Earth can support is first constrained by these two factors. The limiting factor for food production is arable land, and the area of arable land is gradually shrinking due to population growth and urbanization ; The construction of industrial infrastructure also consumes a large amount of fertile farmland every year. The demand for freshwater also increases in an exponential manner; as the population grows and industry and agriculture develop, the need for water rises rapidly as well. The global demand for water is expected to double in about 21 years, with even higher rates in some regions. With the rapid population growth, urban expansion, and industrialization, the supply of water falls far short of demand, resulting in declining water levels in many areas and water scarcity. This has created a situation in which urban populations, industry, and agriculture compete for water resources. This situation is continuing to worsen. Where there is water, there is survival; without water, there is no food, nor any materials. The depletion of water resources is severely restricting the development of industry and agriculture, threatening human survival. Therefore, we must first fully realize that all resources are limited; when developing biomass energy, we must not repeat the mistakes made with mineral (fossil) energy! Although we currently have a large amount of biomass resources that need to be developed, as technology advances, these resources will also become limited and valuable; they are not infinite! Therefore, the first principle when dealing with biomass resources is to cherish them. Yet today, many technologies and processes are driven too much by the desire to secure funding; in order to get hold of that funding, immature technologies rush to announce their \"achievements,\" resulting in huge waste of funds and investment. More importantly, it wastes precious time and misleads decision-makers regarding **investment! Since resources are limited, the approach to using biomass resources should be to maximize their efficiency while avoiding pollution during production and use, that is, to avoid the \"exploit–use–pollute\" pattern associated with traditional industries. While increasing utilization, it is also necessary to focus on reducing resource input, even aiming for a level of \"negative emissions\"; in other words, \"entropy reduction\"! Therefore, the criterion for measuring the success of a technology should be its input-output ratio in terms of resources and energy, rather than simple economic calculations. Why is it necessary to view this issue from such a high perspective? This is because the development of biomass resources is a reality that humanity has to face as a result of its mistaken exploitation and use of mineral resources; and if the exploitation of biomass resources repeats the same mistakes as those made with mineral resources, nature likely will not give humanity a second chance! One must understand that \"man can conquer nature\" can only serve as a spirit and slogan, not as reality. In this sense, we need to carefully evaluate the use of high temperature and pressure in many current biomass technologies. In other words, we must assess the energy input versus output – whether the difference between the energy consumed in the process and the energy produced is positive or negative. This should be a basic prerequisite for all technologies ; This issue now confronts humanity in the context of fuel ethanol. Although the suspension of further development of fuel ethanol projects is currently based on the principle of not competing with food production for grain, a deeper underlying reason lies in whether the energy input-output ratio for such projects is reasonable. The gradual depletion of oil resources leads not only to a shortage of fuel but also to a shortage of resources in general ; Oil is referred to as the \"blood of industry\" because, in addition to serving as a fuel, it is also a basic raw material for many manufacturing processes. Looking around, many of the consumer goods we need for daily life are derived from oil. Therefore, in this sense, we should not focus solely on using biomass resources as a \"fuel.\" After all, biomass resources have different properties from oil; we ought to consider and utilize them from the perspective of resources and materials, based on a thorough understanding of their fundamental characteristics. This approach might help reduce costs and enable more efficient use of biomass resources. Therefore, we need to choose the starting point for technology from a higher and broader perspective; when we calm down, what we should focus on are numerous fundamental research efforts, rather than the intensive application development that exists today. Because our knowledge of biomass resources is incredibly limited!