Lignocellulosic Biomass Quality: Matching Characteristics With Biomass Conversion Requirements

Lignocellulosic biomass consists mostly of lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose, and to a more or lesser extent other plant components such as sugars, starch, acids, fats, and oils, and last but not least water (moisture) and ash. Quality is essentially a set of biomass characteristics that determine the value of that biomass type for a certain conversion system. Fundamental biomass quality characteristics determine if biomass can be matched to a conversion system. We distinguish “fundamental” biomass characteristics from thermal conversion to be chlorine and ash content and ash melting temperature. For biological conversion, carbohydrate and lignin are the most relevant, while for anaerobic digestion biogas yield and digestate applicability are the most important. Other quality characteristics can more easily be adjusted such as particle size, moisture content, and bulk density. It is important to understand what determines the quality composition of biomass so that quality can be optimized. Plant type, plant part, soil type, time of harvest can determine that quality.