In India, Renewable Energy Magazine reported that several species of invasive weeds could become a source of renewable bioenergy, according to a new research from the University of Queensland, in Australia.
Researchers assessed the potential to convert 15 weed species found west of Brisbane into biomass pellets to be used as a solid biomass fuel, according to the report.
Lead author Bruno de Almeida Moreira from UQ’s Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation said two vines, Brazilian Nightshade and Climbing Asparagus, were found to be suitable.
“Historically, the international pellet market has focused on forest biomass,” Moreira said.
“But with regulations in Australia ruling wood pellets are not classified as renewable, we are trying to find alternative sources of biomass to produce pellets of the same quality,” he added.
“The other key finding is we can make market-grade pellets, which means there are some weed-to-pellet conversion pathways that can provide market-grade biofuels we could sell.”
The research was completed in collaboration with Ipswich startup – WorkEco, thanks to a seed grant from the Australian Government’s Strategic University Reform Fund (SURF).
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