Progress in the technology of energy conversion from woody biomass in Indonesia

Sustainable and renewable natural resources as biomass that contains carbon and hydrogen elements can be a potential raw materials for energy conversion. In Indonesia, they comprise variable-sized wood from forests （i.e. natural forests, plantations and community forests that commonly produce small-diameter logs used as firewood by local people）, woody residues from logging and wood industries, oil-palm shell waste from crude palm oil factories, coconut shell wastes from coconut plantations, traditional markets as well as skimmed coconut oil and straws from rice cultivation. Four kinds of energy-conversion technologies have been empirically tested in Indonesia. First, gasification of rubber wood from unproductive rubber trees to generate heat energy for the drying of fermented chocolate seeds. Secondly, energy conversion from organic vegetable waste by implementing thermophylic fermentation methods that produce biogas as a fuel and for generating electricity and also concurrently generate organic by-products called hygen compost. Thirdly, gasification of charcoal and wood sawdust for electricity generation. Finally, environment-friendly energy conversion by carbonizing small-diameter logs, sawdust, wood slabs and coconut shells into charcoal. This yielded charcoal integrated with wood vinegar production through condensation of smoke/vapors emitted during carbonization, thereby mitigating the impact of air pollution. Among the four experimental technologies that of integrated charcoal and wood vinegar production had been spectacularly developed and favored by rural communities. This technology brought added value to the process and product due to the wood vinegar, useful as bio-pesticide, plant-growth hormone and organic fertilizer. Such integrated and environment-friendly production, therefore, should be sustained, because Indonesia occupies a significant and worldwide position as charcoal-producing and marketing country. The technology of integrated wood vinegar-charcoal production hence deserves its dissemination throughout Indonesia, particularly to the charcoal industry that still produces charcoal without condensing the generated vapor/smoke, hence polluting the air.

Wood use and forest management by Neolithic millet farmers at the Xinglong site,northern China

The origin and development of agriculture and its relationship with climate change are hotly debated topics among environmental archaeologists.In this study,we analyzed wood charcoal materials from the Neolithic Xinglong site in northern China in order to understand the woody vegetation around the site and how early millet farmers shaped local woodlands.Our results suggest that the area around the Xinglong sites during 8700-7000 yr BP was primarily woodlands,including Prunus sibirica shrubs,Ulmus and Acer forests,and Populus stands near waterways.From 8000 to 7000 yr BP,the warm and humid climate probably contributed to the expansion of Acer,Rhamnus,and Juniperus,and may have facilitated the development of early millet agriculture.Among these ancient wood fragments that we studied,the high percent of Prunus charcoal appears to indicate an abundance of fruit trees,which might have constituted the main component of local vegetation.Meanwhile,the wood taxa illustrate the existence of a variety of ecological habitats,and it is logical to assume that people made full use of the locally available wood resources.Notably,Populus and Ulmus were the dominant sources of fuel.The results of tree-ring curvature analyses indicate that people mainly collected trunks or large branches of Ulmus,Populus,Acer,and Juniperus timbers.We interpret the increasing use of Prunus twigs and the declining percentage of Prunus charcoal in the period between 8000-7000 yr BP as indicating that people started to protect and manage wild fruit trees.They may have started pruning to acquire more food resources as part of the cultural responses and adaptation strategies employed by these early millet cultivators.

Effect of Metal Oxide on Electrical Resistivity of Conductive Wood Charcoal

To analyze the effect of metal oxide on electrical resistivity of conductive wood charcoal,wood powder of Masson pine was mixed with ferric oxide (Fe_2O_3) and nickel oxide (NiO), respectively,and then the mixed powders were carbonized at high temperature in a laboratory-scale tube furnace in a nitrogen atmosphere. DCY-3 resistivity tester was used to measure electrical resistivity of conductive wood charcoal. When carbonization temperature was 1200 ℃, the electrical resistivity of controlsamples, Fe_2O_3 (4%) added samples, and NiO (4%) added samples was 0.104 Ω·lcm, 0.071 Ω·lcm, and 0.066 Ω·lcm, respectively. When carbonization temperature was 1 500 ℃, the electrical resistivity of control samples, Fe_2O_3 (4%) added samples, and NiO(4%) added samples was 0.091 Ω·lcm,0.052 Ω·lcm, and 0.052Ω·lcm, respectively. And electrical resistivity of conductive wood charcoaldecreased from 0.060Ω·lcm to 0.041Ω·lcm when the ferric oxide addition increased from 2% to 10%.The results showed that the electrical resistivity of conductive wood charcoal decreased with the increase of carbonization temperature. Ferric oxide and nickel oxide could be used as catalysts todecrease electrical resistivity of conductive wood charcoal. And electrical resistivity of conductivewood charcoal reduced with increasing the ferric oxide addition.