Prof. Ming-Jun Zhu, who is the Assistant Dean of School of Bioscience & Bioengineering at the South China University of Technology, commented the developments of biohydrogen production from waste materials in the current issue of Trends in Renewable Energy. (vol. 2, pp. 54-55. doi: 10.17737/tre.2016.2.2.0021)
“With the rapid development of economy, all kinds of waste biomass produced every year are increasing. Recycle of waste biomass can avoid pollution following unsatisfactory disposal such as discard, landfill, and incineration in the field directly…. Thus, there is no doubt that biohydrogen from waste biomass is a promising environmentally friendly energy carrier for its high energy content.” said Professor Zhu.
Dr Zhu’s research group focuses on biohydrogen production from waste biomass that is based on a consolidated bioprocessing strategy. Waste materials such as Cassava pulp, paper sludge, sugarcane bagasse, and spent mushroom compost have been tested. Meanwhile a novel co-culture approach using Clostridium thermocellum and Thermoanaerobacterium aotearoense for hydrogen production has been demonstrated.
Although the exciting progresses have been made, he pointed out that there are still many barriers blocking the industrial production of biohydrogen. Technological barriers like low yields, hydrogen storage, compressor and distribution networks, lack of durable fuel cell technologies, and integration with the existing infrastructure need to be overcome.
Finally, Professor Zhu concluded “Biohydrogen from waste biomass is renewable and has no contribution to environmental pollution and climate change, which are valuable for the current situation of increasingly serious energy and environmental issues in China and all over the world. Bioprocesses for hydrogen production from a variety of biomass materials even waste biomass are very promising in the near future.”
Contact: Dr. Ming-Jun Zhu, Email: mjzhu@scut.edu.cn
More information: http://futureenergysp.com/index.php/tre/article/view/21