0000000000035318
AUTHOR
Janis Abolins
Graduate Studies of Global Change at the University of Latvia
In 2008 the University of Latvia (UL) completed an 18-month project of innovation – design, preparation and pilot-test of a 4-semester programme of trans-disciplinary graduate studies in “science, global change, and technologies for sustainable development” based on the experience the project team had acquired during 1997–2006 endorsing studies in “physics and technologies for sustainable development” and organizing two international conferences on “integrative approaches towards sustainability”. Within the project activities 25 members from faculties of natural sciences of the UL prepared and tested innovative courses of a 2 semester pilot programme comprising 4 modules, the audience being…
A Simple Analytical Model for Remote Assessment of the Dynamics of Biomass Accumulation
Efficient means for assessment of the dynamics and the state of the stocks of renewable assets such as wood biomass are important for sustainable supplies satisfying current needs. So far attention has been paid mainly to the economic aspects of forest management while ecological problems are rising with the expected transfer from fossil to renewable resources supplies of which from forest being essential for traditional consumers of wood and for emerging biorefineries. Production of biomass is more reliant on assets other than money the land (territory) available and suitable for the purpose being the first in the number. Studies of the ecological impacts (the “footprint”) of sustainable u…
Ecological Limits to Sustainable Use of Wood Fuels
A theoretical study of a simple analytical model of biomass accumulation to assess conditions of the neutrality of CO2-emissions from burning wood (biomass) is reported. Conditions under sustainability defined with respect to harvesting are shown to satisfy requirements of CO2-neutrality on local scale while burning wood under conditions of shrinking global forest area is not and should be taken into account in the balance of global emissions. Other ecological restraints—conservation of biodiversity in particular, are discussed concerning conditions imposed by the economic system and reflecting on the visions of bio-economy.
Integration of biorefinery clusters towards zero emissions
Depletion of world recourses, increasing pollution, and climate change make us shift from linear economy to system economy an economy of technologies integrated to reach a non-polluting zero emissions production system. Transition to renewable resources requires replacement the present crude oil refinery by biomass refinery. Along with conventional biomass refinery technologies bioengineering and nano-technologies become significant players of systems in the design of clusters of integrated biorefinery technologies. The authors consider a number of case-studies of biomass conversion into value-added chemicals and sources of energy, the steam explosion autohydrolysis (SEA) in particular. Mod…
Zero Emissions and Bio-refineries for Natural Fibres, Biomaterials and Energy: Genesis of Concepts. Review
Depletion of world recourses, increasing pollution, and climate change make us to shift from linear economy to system economy—an economy of technologies integrated to reach a system of non-polluting zero emissions production. Transition to renewable resources requires replacing the present crude oil refinery by biomass refinery. Along with conventional biomass refinery technologies bioengineering and nano-technologies become significant players in systems designed as clusters of integrated bio-refinery technologies. The authors consider a number of case studies of biomass conversion into value-added chemicals and sources of energy, the steam explosion auto-hydrolysis (SEA) in particular. Re…
Utilization of lignin powder for manufacturing self-binding HDF
Abstract The preparation of self-binding lignocellulosic fibreboards has been investigated. Different high-density fibreboards (HDF) were hot-pressed based on a mixture of grey alder (Alnus incana L. Moench) wood chips processed by steam explosion auto-hydrolysis (SE) and 15% or 25% lignin content from three different industrial sources: softwood kraft lignin (SWKL), soda wheat straw lignin (SoWhStL) and hydrolysis wheat straw lignin (HWhStL). Density, thickness swelling (TS) after immersion in water for 24 h, modulus of rupture (MOR), modulus of elasticity (MOE) and strength of internal bond (IB) of the board samples were determined. The amount (15% or 25%) and moisture content (MC) (18±1%…