Avaliação do potencial energético da cana energia e do ciclo de vida da produção de eletricidade via combustão da biomassa

Abstract

The overuse of petroleum-derived fuels has raised concerns due to the large amount of emitted greenhouse gases.The biomass has emerged as an alternative source for renewable energy production. Brazil has featured for its production of bioethanol from sugarcane. Currently a new variety of sugarcane is being developed (sugarcane energy), which prioritizes the production of fiber in replacement for the accumulation of sucrose. Among the routes that conversion cane energy can be employed is the fast pyrolysis, which consists of thermal degradation in an inert atmosphere. As a new biomass, it is important to compare sugarcane energy features with the varieties of conventional sugarcane energy, and evaluate its efficiency as fuel compared to straw and bagasse. This study compared the physicochemical characteristics of sugarcane energy with the varieties of conventional sugarcane, and evaluated the thermal behavior of sugarcane energy, bagasse and straw, and evaluated the products obtained by fast pyrolysis of sugarcane energy. To highlight the environmental aspects of the use of biomass as an energy source a comparative analysis of electricity generation lifecycle from sugarcane bagasse and fuel oil was performed. Sugarcane energy was high calorific value 4.075,7cal / g, which gives to it the condition of good fuel for thermochemical processes. The products obtained by pyrolysis of sugarcane energy demonstrate potential for the production of organic oxygenates. Several products of great commercial interest were identified by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry techniques. The production of electrical energy via combustion of sugarcane bagasse showed low carbon emission levels to the atmosphere (0227 kg CO2-eq / kWh) and more appropriate than the thermoelectric process that uses diesel oil (0900 kg CO2- eq / kWh), resulting in emission avoided -0.673 kg CO2-eq / kWh. The progressive use of sugarcane bagasse as a source of electricity can be an alternative to the climate change mitigation.