About this Research Topic
Organic waste management has been traditionally seen as an “end of pipe” strategy. This means a linear approach where wastes are collected (with source and non-source separation), treated and finally disposed.
The appearance of anaerobic digestion, composting and their growth in last years practically all over the world has changed the vision of waste as something that must “disappear”. Compost and anaerobic digestion are considered valorization technologies, in which material and energy are produced. This is a first approach in including circularity in organic waste management.
One step forward to this approach is the relatively recent appearance of biorefineries. These facilities can be defined as “an installation that converts biomass to energy and other beneficial products”. In fact, The International Energy Agency Bioenergy Task 42 defines biorefining as “the sustainable processing of biomass into a spectrum of bio-based products (food, feed, chemicals, materials) and bioenergy (biofuels, power and/or heat)”. It is clear that, in this case, bioenergy is an important part of the biorefinery concept, but the production of bio-based product should also occur.
We welcome the submission of Original Research, Review, Mini-review, and Perspective articles on themes that include, but are not limited to:
• Configurations of biorefineries
• Organic feedstocks
• Bioproducts
• Biofuels
• Anaerobic digestion in biorefineries
• Sustainability
• Environmental Impact and LCA
• Biorefinery economics
The appearance of anaerobic digestion, composting and their growth in last years practically all over the world has changed the vision of waste as something that must “disappear”. Compost and anaerobic digestion are considered valorization technologies, in which material and energy are produced. This is a first approach in including circularity in organic waste management.
One step forward to this approach is the relatively recent appearance of biorefineries. These facilities can be defined as “an installation that converts biomass to energy and other beneficial products”. In fact, The International Energy Agency Bioenergy Task 42 defines biorefining as “the sustainable processing of biomass into a spectrum of bio-based products (food, feed, chemicals, materials) and bioenergy (biofuels, power and/or heat)”. It is clear that, in this case, bioenergy is an important part of the biorefinery concept, but the production of bio-based product should also occur.
We welcome the submission of Original Research, Review, Mini-review, and Perspective articles on themes that include, but are not limited to:
• Configurations of biorefineries
• Organic feedstocks
• Bioproducts
• Biofuels
• Anaerobic digestion in biorefineries
• Sustainability
• Environmental Impact and LCA
• Biorefinery economics
Keywords: Bioproduct, Biogas, Sustainability, Economics, Biorefinery, Organic waste
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
