| Energy is central to achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs)and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.Biomass plays a dual role as an energy source and a solution for climate change mitigation.Forest,agricultural,livestock residues,and urban waste all significantly impact the potential and availability of waste biomass as an energy source.One energy source that arguably has the most significant potential to replace oil is bioenergy.Renewable energy is predicted to play a crucial role in the energy sector as transitioning from fossil fuels to biofuels is key to achieving carbon neutrality.Industrialized countries prioritize the production of bioenergy to promote sustainable development.Governments in industrialized countries such as China and Europe aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by promoting energy policies.There are complexities surrounding electricity generation,and Ghana could not achieve its 10 % renewable energy target in 2020.However,Ghana has an abundance of biomass resources that can be used for sustainable biogas,biomethane,bioethanol,hydrogen and electricity generation.The research examines the significant role biomass can play in Ghana ’ s energy sector and recommend feasible solutions based on achievements from China and European countries.The crop residues ’ bio-ethanol potential is assessed using computational and analytical approaches.Buswell equation was applied to calculate the biogas and methane yield of crop residues and animal manure.The potential of food waste and crop residues hydrogen-based power generation was through biogas steam reforming(BSR).Similarly,the environmental impact assessment was expressed as global warming potential,and the economic feasibility was conducted.The findings demonstrate that the annual residues bioethanol production is 3.74 gigaliters(GL),and by 2030,91.85% of the 5.68 GL of bioethanol will be from food crop residues.Animal manure biogas potential is 237.72 million cubic meters(Mm3).The highest manure-biogas potential per animal is from cattle(27.15 m3)and pigs(18.15 m3),while the least contribution is from chickens(1.80 m3).By 2030,Ghana has the potential to produce 423.16 Mm3 of manure-based biogas,which can offset14.71% of liquefied petroleum gas(LPG)consumption.The biogas potential positively correlates with the biomethane potential of 296.21Mm3.Biogas and electricity potentials from crop residues were1,912.74Mm3 and 3,068.34 GWh.Ghana could generate the highest electricity potential of 478.18 GWh and 46.52 GWh in the regions and districts.Using residues as feedstock,BSR could generate 2,617 kt of bio-H2(equivalent to 4,705.89GWh),corresponding to 2.78% of the global hydrogen demand.A tonne of crop residues could produce 16.59 kg of bio-H2 and 29.83 k Wh of electricity.About 2,073.38 kt was generated in all the major cities,and H2 is predicted to increase to 119.80 kt by 2030.From the research,the total bioelectricity could offset 15.56% to 21.92% of the power consumed in Ghana.In addition,923.35 ML to 1,421.09 ML of diesel could be displaced with a GHG emissions reduction of 2,507.35 kt CO2 eq.to 3862.55 kt CO2eq.The findings show that the project is economically viable,with an electricity cost of $ 0.0321 / k Wh to $ 0.174 /k Wh.All the projects have a positive net present value with a benefit-to-cost ratio greater than one.Most industry growth initiatives in Ghana have been implemented through policy declarations that lack the necessary political commitment and legal backing to achieve the objectives.Issues with Ghana’s economy,finances,market,technical infrastructure,regulatory framework,overreliance on a centralized system,and dependence on the supply of fossil fuels are impeding the country’s development of renewable energy.Based on the assessment of the bioenergy development and policies,China has made conscious efforts to improve on the comprehensive utilization of biomass resources,particularly crop straw,animal manure and other forms of solid waste.These resources spread across Central,Northeast,North,West,East,South and Southwest China.Regarding crop straws,8.56 × 108 t were produced with a collectable quantity of 7.22 × 108 and 87.6% were fully used.Agricultural straw can be recycled primarily in five ways,as fuel,fertilizer,raw material,base material and animal feed.With legislation,initiatives,and incentives,China is working to increase bioenergy production and promote energy efficiency and conservation.China’s environmental and climate protection laws reflect the nation’s present emphasis on enhancing energy efficiency and utilizing renewable energy sources.The biomass sector is growing rapidly in China due to policy support and financial support from the national government.Briquette fuel,biogas,pyrolysis gasification,carbonization,bioelectricity production,bioethanol generation,and other processes are the main ways to cleanly exploit biomass resources.The fields of power generation,cogeneration,biogas production,and biomass fuel conversion have shown good momentum for large-scale development and are reasonably mature.The state’s financial investment in biogas building directly benefited households and China spent years researching and developing its rural biogas technologies.Around 5000 m3 of biogas are produced daily by large,medium,and home biogas digesters.Biogas plants are already used by 39.96 million residents nationwide.The increased trend in rural biogas construction indicates that national policies have had a substantial impact.China’s carbon emission reduction goals include a peak in emissions by 2030 and a transition to carbon neutrality by 2060.The European union(EU)generates enormous biomass resources and produces 138 million tonnes of bio-waste annually.Key EU policies that influence the development of the bioenergy industry are closely related to renewable energy.EU member states have incorporated bioenergy into their different National Renewable Energy Action Plans to help advance renewable energy(NREAPs).Bioenergy makes up more than 60% of all renewable energy in Europe.Biogas,biofuels(bioethanol),bioelectricity,and biohydrogen are some forms of bioenergy generated in Europe that can be comprehensively adopted in Ghana.Bioenergy is now the largest renewable energy source in the European Union.The current research emphasizes the significance of multi-scale policies in fostering the growth of bioenergy in China and Europe and proposes feasible solutions for Ghana based on the country ’ s enormous bioenergy potential.Ghana must sustainably manage biomass as a carbon-neutral strategy,decentralize bioenergy projects,consider districts with potential for second-generation bioconversion,and increase government and non-governmental organizations’ cooperation to improve straw utilization.A public-private transdisciplinary strategy is needed to address the challenges of the biogas sector.Ghana’s Ministry of Food and Agriculture(Mo FA)should create a database to store crop residue data and establish collection and storage facilities in regions with abundant residue generation.The government should invest in AD technology for crop residue electricity generation,and train more employees to achieve a more comprehensive bioenergy system.Also,the government should provide financial incentives and assistance to institutions developing AD technology for power generation.To achieve a sustainable bioeconomy,the government should develop and firmly enforce policies that encourage the widespread use of residues for energy production.Ghana must establish reliable waste management practices to reduce environmental pollution and achieve energy security,such as biogas steam reforming and food waste treatment.Households are a good place to start by adopting waste segregation.Ghana must identify and implement bioenergy laws,services,and initiatives,and expand its investment in renewable energy sources and energy efficiency.The nation must continuously revise and amend its policies to improve laws and policies,advance energy transition,and develop a bioenergy sector.The government of Ghana should target rural and farming communities as policy focal points,case studies and resource hubs for bioenergy governance.Bioenergy policies should be developed through an advanced network of political logistics to identify industries slow to adopt renewable energy sources.In addition,Ghana must adopt a holistic approach to the bioeconomy,value chains,and connections to create bioenergy villages.There is the need to develop and implement a comprehensive circular bioeconomy(CBE)policy framework to ensure sustainable development. |
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