Evaluation of infrared techniques for the assessment of biomass and biofuel quality parameters and conversion technology processes: A review

Rapid methods to characterise biomass for energy are needed due to the increasing use of biomass in the energy system and the expanding varieties of biomasses available. Chemical information on biomasses can be utilised in integrated management systems, allowing for the appropriate selection and optimum use of biomass to energy conversion techniques. Composition of biomass has important implications for optimisation of conversion processes such as pelletising/briquetting, combustion, gasification, pyrolysis and anaerobic digestion. There are opportunities to develop rapid spectroscopic techniques for both biomass to biofuel and biofuel to bioenergy process control. Rapid spectroscopic techniques and chemometrics may also be used to predict the key biomass and biofuel parameter calorific value and could be used to improve energy crop growing programmes. This review brings together the reported uses of infrared spectroscopic analysis coupled with chemometric techniques which have been applied to optimising biomass to biofuel and bioenergy conversion processes.