Possibilities of Using Biomass from Nutshells for Energy Purposes

Abstract

Demand for energy, which is largely produced from fossil fuels, is increasing together with civilizational development. Using this type of fuels contributes to considerable pollution of the natural environment, and results in the increase of the average temperature worldwide. Another problem is that the deposits of fossil fuels will likely run out in the next century. In order to limit the greenhouse effect and other adverse effects of using fossil fuels, an attempt was made to find renewable resources of energy to replace them. One of such fuels that may successfully replace hard and brown coal, crude oil or even natural gas, is biomass, one type of which is nutshells. This work contains results of research on energy properties of nutshells of selected nut species. The following properties were examined: the nutshell share in the total mass of the nut, water content (u), moisture and ash content as well as calorific value of nutshells. The results of the conducted examinations indicate that the outer shells of nuts are characterized by very good energy properties, due to low moisture and small ash content as well as high calorific value.