Transformación de residuos orgánicos en energía renovable: Revisión de tecnologías convencionales y tecnologías emergentes sostenibles
Transformation of organic waste into renewable energy: Review of conventional technologies and emerging sustainable technologies
Autor(es): Laura Goretty Rojas Rodríguez, Victoria Eugenia Tamayo Galván, Agustín Mora Ortega y Maria Belem Arce-Vazquez
Fuente: Mexican Journal of Technology and Engineering, Vol. 5, No. 1. pp. 76-90
DOI: https://doi.org/10.61767/mjte.005.1.7690
Resumen
Ante la emergencia climática y el aumento del consumo energético derivado de su uso en la movilidad por medio del transporte y el crecimiento demográfico, los biocombustibles líquidos son una alternativa a considerar por su impacto positivo en la reducción de emisiones en el transporte, en concordancia con los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible. Esta revisión analiza la categorización de los biocombustibles desde la primera generación hasta la cuarta generación, destacando el potencial de la biomasa lignocelulósica de segunda generación que contempla el uso de residuos, como tallos hojas de maíz y bagazo de caña, debido a su abundancia ya que no compromete el suministro de alimentos. Se detalla las vías de transformación termoquímica como son la pirólisis, gasificación y licuefacción, así como la bioquímica que contempla la transesterificación, la fermentación y la digestión anaeróbica. Se hace hincapié en la importancia de realizar pretratamientos (químicos o biológicos) para desestabilizar los materiales compuestos de celulosa, hemicelulosa y lignina. Además, se analiza la aplicación de métodos de vanguardia, como la radiación de microondas, la fotocatálisis, el uso de plasma y de catalizadores orgánicos heterogéneos, junto con herramientas que involucran redes neuronales y máquinas de vectores de soporte. Así mismo, se analiza el concepto de biorrefinería integrada y los sistemas híbridos como una estrategia técnica y financiera más sólida para el aprovechamiento integral de materiales de desecho, que promueve un modelo de economía circular, que garantiza la generación de energía limpia con autonomía y un impacto ambiental positivo.
Palabras clave: Biomasa lignocelulósica, Biorrefinería integrada, Procesos termoquímicos, Tecnologías emergentes, Descarbonización energética.
Abstract
In the face of the climate emergency and the increased energy consumption resulting from transportation and population growth, liquid biofuels are an alternative to consider due to their positive impact on reducing transportation emissions, in accordance with the Sustainable Development Goals. This review analyzes the categorization of biofuels from the first to the fourth generation, highlighting the potential of second-generation lignocellulosic biomass, which utilizes waste materials such as corn stalks and leaves, and sugarcane bagasse, given their abundance and the fact that they do not compromise food supplies. The review details thermochemical transformation pathways such as pyrolysis, gasification, and liquefaction, as well as biochemical pathways including transesterification, fermentation, and anaerobic digestion. Emphasis is placed on the importance of pretreatment (chemical or biological) to destabilize materials composed of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. Furthermore, the application of cutting-edge methods is analyzed, such as microwave radiation, photocatalysis, the use of plasma and heterogeneous organic catalysts, along with tools involving neural networks and support vector machines. Likewise, the concept of integrated biorefineries and hybrid systems is examined as a more robust technical and financial strategy for the comprehensive utilization of waste materials, promoting a circular economy model that guarantees the generation of clean energy autonomously and with a positive environmental impact.
Keywords: Lignocellulosic biomass, Integrated biorefinery, Thermochemical processes, Emerging technologies, Energy decarbonization.
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