By: Professor Dato Dr Ahmad Ibrahim
The global push for sustainable energy and carbon-neutral fuels has accelerated the innovation in biomass-to-energy conversion. Traditional methods like combustion, gasification, and anaerobic digestion are being enhanced with cutting-edge technologies to improve efficiency, scalability, and environmental performance. People are now talking about next-generation thermochemical conversion.
Advanced gasification with carbon capture is generating much interest. The integrated gasification combined cycle now incorporates carbon capture and storage (CCS), enabling bioenergy with carbon capture and storage. Plasma gasification using high-temperature plasma arcs improves syngas purity and handles diverse feedstocks including agricultural waste, and sludge. Whilst catalytic gasification using Ni, Fe, or Ru catalysts enhances hydrogen yield while reducing tar formation is entering the market.
Pyrolysis technology has seen advancement. The microwave-assisted pyrolysis provides faster, more uniform heating, increasing bio-oil yields. Whilst the ex-situ catalytic upgrading using zeolites like HZSM-5 converts bio-oil into drop-in biofuels such as renewable diesel and jet fuel. Co-pyrolysis with plastics improves energy density and reduces waste. Hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) for wet biomass converts algae, sewage sludge, and food waste into biocrude without drying. And supercritical water gasification (SCWG) breaks down biomass at high pressure/temperature, producing clean syngas.
We have also witnessed breakthroughs in biochemical and hybrid conversion. These include anaerobic digestion, AD, fermentation, and microbial electrolysis. A two-stage AD systems separate hydrolysis and methanogenesis, boosting biogas yields by 20-30%. Co-digestion with food waste, manure, or algae optimizes nutrient balance and methane production.
Bioelectrochemical systems (BES) use microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) to convert organic matter into hydrogen plus electricity. The consolidated bioprocessing (CBP) for cellulosic ethanol capitalises on engineered microbes such as clostridium thermocellum to simultaneously break down cellulose and ferment sugars, thereby reducing enzyme costs. Whereas CRISPR-edited yeast and bacteria improve ethanol tolerance and yield. Algae-to-biofuel innovations have made progress. The genetic modification of algae strains (Chlorella, Nannochloropsis) produces higher lipid content. Whilst photobioreactors with AI-controlled lighting and CO₂ dosing can maximize growth rates.
The emerging technologies and hybrid systems include Waste-to-Energy (WtE) with advanced sorting. AI-powered waste sorting robots improve feedstock quality for gasification. Whilst the pyrolysis of non-recyclable plastics plus biomass creates high-energy synfuels. AI and machine learning enables real-time monitoring of gasification and pyrolysis reactors using IoT sensors. And predictive algorithms adjust temperature, pressure, and catalysts for maximum efficiency. Biorefineries co-produce biofuels, biochemicals, and fertilizers. Carbon-negative systems (biochar sequestration) enhance sustainability.
What then are the challenges and future outlook? The key barriers include high capital costs for advanced systems, feedstock variability affecting conversion efficiency, and policy and market incentives needed for scaling. Future trends include small-scale modular gasifiers and digesters for decentralized energy, solar-powered biomass conversion for net-zero operations, hydrogen production from biomass via supercritical water gasification, and bio-aviation fuels (SAF) from lignocellulosic waste.
Biomass-to-energy technology is clearly rapidly evolving beyond traditional combustion and anaerobic digestion. Catalytic processes, AI-driven optimization, and hybrid systems are pushing efficiencies to new heights while enabling carbon-negative energy solutions. The next decade will likely see commercial-scale BECCS, waste-integrated biorefineries, and cost-competitive biofuels dominating the sector.
Plasma gasification, a cutting-edge thermochemical process that uses extremely high temperatures (3,000–7,000°C) generated by an electrical plasma arc to convert biomass into syngas and heat is set to make heads turn. Unlike conventional gasification, plasma torches provide precise, ultra-high-temperature conditions, enabling near-complete breakdown of complex feedstocks with minimal tar or char formation.
Plasma torch ionizes gas into plasma using an electric arc. In the gasification chamber, biomass is exposed to plasma heat, breaking their molecular bonds. The syngas cleanup system removes particulates, acids (HCl, H₂S), and trace contaminants. The vitrification unit makes inorganic residues melt into inert, glass-like non-leachable slag.
The future should potentially see green hydrogen production using plasma gasification plus electrolysis. Machine learning would adjust torch parameters in real-time. Plasma gasification represents a paradigm shift in waste-to-energy and biomass conversion, offering unmatched feedstock flexibility, near-zero emissions, and high-value outputs including syngas, hydrogen, and vitrified slag.
While energy costs and scale-up challenges remain, advancements in renewable-powered plasma, hybrid catalysis, and modular systems are driving commercialization. The next frontier technologies would include plasma-assisted bioenergy carbon capture for carbon-negative energy. And plasma gasification of algae for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). With all such technology developments on the horizon, it is pertinent for biomass-rich Malaysia to plan a coordinated investment in the relevant R&D.
The author is affiliated with the Tan Sri Omar Centre for STI Policy Studies at UCSI University and is an associate fellow at the Ungku Aziz Centre for Development Studies, Universiti Malaya.
