Biochemical and Thermochemical Conversion Technologies for Agriculture Waste Transformation

In the realm of sustainable agricultural practices, the use of biochemical and thermochemical technologies stands as a beacon of innovation for the conversion of agricultural residues. As our world grapples with the imperative to address environmental concerns and reduce dependency on conventional energy sources, the exploration of alternative avenues becomes paramount. This chapter delves into the landscape of biochemistry and thermochemistry technologies, unveiling their pivotal roles in transforming agricultural waste into valuable resources. Enzymatic processes and microbial interventions are pivotal in transforming organic residues into biofuels and bioproducts. The first part of this chapter is devoted to biochemical methods, focusing mainly on anaerobic digestion and composting, but not forgetting more recent technologies such as alcoholic fermentation, photobiological hydrogen production, or transesterification using enzymes as catalysts. But we must not forget the simpler yet effective thermo-chemical methods. The second part focuses on thermochemical methods, including carbonization by different methods, gasification, and liquefaction technologies, and using subcritical and supercritical fluids. This chapter introduces the current state of the art of biochemical and thermochemical methods of utilizing agricultural residues.