Harnessing the potentials of bamboo as a sustainable feedstock for bioenergy production

Abstract

The rising global population, dwindling fossil-based energy reserves and grave environmental concerns have made the search for affordable, renewable and sustainable energy sources more compelling. Bioenergy has become one of the viable alternatives for fossil-based energy sources and a prominent part of the global energy mix. We review the application of bamboo as a feedstock for the generation of various forms of bioenergy. We give an overview of the global market size, cultivation, harvesting, pretreatment techniques, properties and characterization of bamboo as a promising lignocellulosic biomass for bioenergy production. The processes for the conversion of bamboo into pellets, briquettes, biochar, bioethanol, biooil, biobutanol, syngas, biogas and biomethane are highlighted. The deployment of bamboo as feedstock for bioenergy generation is cost-effective, sustainable, ensures high conversion efficiency and generates high bioenergy yield and quality. The limitations of deforestation, land allocation, water use concerns, scalability, lack of biomass bioenergy market and inconsistent policies can be solved through the institution and funding of more novel research and the enactment of appropriate policies and regulations. Further studies into the optimization of bamboo species, process parameters, reactor configurations, development of integrated pretreatment techniques, genetic modification of bamboo, life cycle and environmental impact assessments, and sustainability will advance bamboo bioenergy research. More innovative research and development, development of academia and industry players’ cooperation, enactment and implementation of ethical, legal, and regulatory frameworks, and incentivizing the bamboo bioenergy market are recommended to ameliorate the identified challenges limiting the development of bamboo bioenergy.