Sustainable Energy from agro-industrial wastewaters in Latin-America. (April 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Meneses-Jácome, Alexander; Diaz-Chavez, Rocío; Velásquez-Arredondo, Héctor I.; Cárdenas-Chávez, Diana L.; Parra, Roberto; Ruiz-Colorado, Angela A.
• Is Part Of: Renewable & sustainable energy reviews. Volume 56(2016:Apr.)
• Page Start: 1249
• Page End: 1262
• Publication Date: 2016-04
• Subjects: BOD Biochemical Oxygen Demand -- COD Chemical Oxygen Demand -- TSS Total Suspended Solids -- TNK Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen -- WWTs Wastewater treatment systems -- ai-WWTs Agro-industrial wastewater treatment systems -- CDM Clean Development Mechanisms -- LCA life cycle assessment -- MFCs Microbial fuel cells -- CWWT Combined Wastewater Treatment -- UASB Up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket -- GHG Greenhouse gases -- MCA Multi-criteria Analysis -- LCSA Life cycle sustainability assessment -- SDIs Sustainable Development Indicators -- SPS Substantial Principles of Sustainability; Agro-industrial effluents -- Sustainable energy -- Water-energy nexus -- Life cycle assessment (LCA) -- Sustainability indicators -- Wastewater treatment; Renewable energy sources -- Periodicals; Power resources -- Periodicals; Énergies renouvelables -- Périodiques; Ressources énergétiques -- Périodiques; 333.794
• DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2015.12.036
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1364-0321

Abstract

Abstract: Conventional biological processes used to treat high-polluted agro-industrial effluents produce biogas and sludge, two by-products stocking up important energy contents. Advanced biotechnologies to treat these effluents are being developed to obtain increased biogas production and other efficient and useful energy sources, such as bio-hydrogen and even bio-electricity. Utilization of these clean energies is significantly lower than other renewables, particularly in developing regions such as Latin-America. This occurs despite the close link between the environmental benefits and sustainable use of this energy, which might be incorporated in different sustainable strategies for local and regional development. This study reviews the ׳state of the art׳ of Latin-American research regarding technologies for energy recovery from agro-industrial wastewaters and their sustainable implementation. It also discusses the need for a more sustainable management of the water-energy nexus in treatment systems used to decont minate effluents, which should be committed to the improvement of renewable energy production and to a more extended regional use. Contributions of methodologies based on life cycle assessment (LCA) and criteria-indicators used to drive sustainability studies in this field are updated and used to outline a conceptual framework advising sustainable practices in this sector.