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More than 50% of the world's population currently lives in urban areas, and this proportion could be nearly seventy percent by 2050. Big cities have big needs. The faster the rate of population growth and the increase and development of industrial and social activities, the greater the demand for energy, water and food. Revolutionizing complex energy supply systems is one of the biggest challenges in the global transition to green energy. The energy transition is an effort to change the use of energy sourced from fossil energy to renewable energy resources to achieve carbon emission reduction targets. Today, the role of technology in driving the energy transition has also received considerable attention. This can be seen from the energy transition in the G-7 countries, which was significantly triggered by the development of renewable energy technology. 

Figure 1. Renewable Energy Technology Applications

Source : https://www.nationalgeographic.com/

     Chemical engineers continue to play an important role in the energy transition towards a future with net zero carbon emissions through carbon-free, low-carbon and renewable energy systems. Chemical engineers work with scientists and various stakeholders to develop smart manufacturing processes and systems with enhanced efficiency and low environmental impact. Chemical engineers bring whole systems thinking and life cycle analysis to solve current and future energy challenges, and are well positioned to consider safety and the environment in the design, development, operation and decommissioning of energy systems and infrastructure. 

     Today's energy supply comes mainly from burning fossil fuels, coal, oil and gas. Over the past two decades, global energy demand has steadily increased at a rate of 2% per year. In response, many countries have committed to reducing emissions from their energy systems, and renewable energy has a central role to play in this transition. However, renewable energy also has its challenges, ranging from the initial capital costs of renewable energy schemes remaining high despite their rapid decline, and their output being resource-dependent and varying with the strength of the sun and wind. The following figure presents the world's primary energy consumption from 1800 to 2022.

Figure 2. World Consumption of Primary Energy

Source :https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/global-energy-consumption-source

From the figure it can be seen that the world's energy consumption from the period 2000 to 2022 continues to increase at varying rates due to changes in the level of economic activity. There is a pause in 2009-2010 due to the economic crisis in western countries and a larger decrease in 2020-2021 due to the worldwide pandemic. However, this reduction is temporary and delayed. By looking at world energy consumption data, renewable energy is becoming increasingly important as an environmentally friendly and sustainable alternative to meet global energy needs. There are several types of renewable energy that can be used as solutions to reduce energy consumption from conventional sources, including solar energy, wind, hydroenergy, geothermal, bioenergy, geothermal, and ocean waves or currents.

    The rapidly increasing need for energy and the rising utilization of biomass as a renewable energy source are increasingly seen as the primary drives for transitioning away from conventional fossil fuels, driven by growing environmental and sustainability concerns.Biomass waste is increasing every year and biomass reserves are renewable, making bio-energy one of the most desirable. Biomass is a potential feedstock for renewable energy and can be converted into higher value chemical compounds. Bio-based raw materials can come from agriculture, aquaculture, forestry, and the food industry. Biomass fuel software for heat and energy generation can affect the reduction of greenhouse fuel emissions. 

     In parallel, the utilization of renewable energy, especially biomass, can be the basis for the transition to a circular economy, which aims to reduce the use of finite resources. Biomass is essential in a circular economy in terms of material products and energy provision. As defined by the 7th Environmental Action Program of the European Commission, a circular economy where nothing is wasted and where natural resources are sustainably managed, and biodiversity is protected. The European Union (EU) is considered to be a global pioneer in terms of Energy Transition by massively expanding the penetration of RES in each Member State and in parallel investing in all principles related to Circular Economy. In addition, in Scotland, a number of companies use organic waste materials to produce bio-gas through anaerobic digestion. The following presents some conversion products derived from biomass

1. Biomethene (Renewable Natural Gas) 

It is a source of methane obtained from the purification of biogas, which has the same characteristics as natural gas. Biomethane can later be processed as vehicle fuel. One of the companies that produce biomethane is Biogest. Biogest is a company that optimally processes raw materials in the most efficient way with a higher degradation rate than classic biomethane plants.

Figure 3.Source dan Deveriat Biomethane

Source : https://www.biogest.at/about-us/biomethane-rng

2. Bioethanol

      Converting biomass, such as corn stover, into ethanol. The corn stover used in SAFFiRE's process is a valuable resource that is mostly left to rot in the fields after each year's corn harvest. These corn stover are then prepared and processed into renewable ethanol, and then the ethanol is upgraded into sustainable aviation fuel.

Figure 4. Processing corn stover into aviation fuel

Source :  https://www.saffirerenewables.com/what-we-do

3. Briquettes

Before biomass can be burned efficiently, it must be dried, a process called torrefaction. The dried biomass is formed into briquettes, such as those made from wood waste in Nairobi, Kenya.

Figure 5. Briguettes

Source : https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/biomass-energy/

One of the countries that utilizes solar, wind and biomass energy from the forestry industry to convert into wood pellets is Wunsiedel, Germany. Wunsiedel is moving to a circular system that connects the regional timber industry with the local energy system. Excess energy from wind and solar power is used to process forestry waste into wood pellets. The pellets are then burned to generate heat or drive turbines to generate electricity.

In conclusion, revolutionizing complex energy systems is a challenge for the current generation, especially as chemical engineers. As a potential renewable energy source, biomass has a crucial role in reducing dependence on fossil fuels that cause adverse environmental impacts. Biomass utilization also contributes to the principle of circular economy, where organic waste can be reprocessed into valuable energy sources. Many countries have started to pioneer the energy transition such as Germany, Greece, and many more. In addition, there are also many companies involved in renewable energy such as SAFFiRE, Biogest, and many more. Therefore, it is important to continue developing technologies and policies that support the use of biomass as an integral part of the global energy transition. 

It is crucial for chemical engineering and food engineering students to stay informed and up-to-date on topics such as biomass as source renewable energy pioneering the energy transition, as this knowledge is vital for their understanding of the chemical industry. By doing so, they can expand their knowledge base and satiate their thirst for learning, ultimately enhancing their professional prospects. In conclusion, the importance of biomass as source renewable energy pioneering the energy transition cannot be overstated, and it is essential for students to stay informed about this crucial aspect of chemical engineering.

REFERENCES

Setiartiti, L., & Al-Hasibi, R. A. (2024). MONOGRAF: TRANSISI ENERGI TERBARUKAN UNTUK PEMBANGUNAN BERKELANJUTAN. Penerbit P4I.

Jenkins, N., & Ekanayake, J. (2024). Renewable energy engineering. Cambridge University Press.