Efficiency of Biomass Energy : An Exergy Approach to Biofuels, Power, and Biorefineries

Details energy and exergy efficiencies of all major aspects of bioenergy systems Covers all major bioenergy processes starting from photosynthesis and cultivation of biomass feedstocks and ending with final bioenergy products, like power, biofuels, and chemicalsEach chapter includes historical developments, chemistry, major technologies, applications as well as energy, environmental and economic aspects in order to serve as an introduction to biomass and bioenergyA separate chapter introduces a beginner in easy accessible way to exergy analysis and the similarities and differences between energy and exergy efficiencies are underlinedIncludes case studies and illustrative examples of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd generation biofuels production, power and heat generation (thermal plants, fuel cells, boilers), and biorefineries  Traditional fossil fuels-based technologies are also described in order to compare with the corresponding bioenergy systems