In the afternoon of September 23rd, 2025, invited by Professor Haiping Yang from the State Key Laboratory of Coal Combustion, Academician Professor Shusheng Pang from the University of Canterbury, New Zealand, delivered a special academic lecture entitled "Advances and Challenges in Using Biomass for Energy and Fuels based on Biomass Steam Gasification and Gas Upgrading with CO₂ Capture" at the conference room on the 12th floor of the Clean Energy Building.
In his lecture, Professor Pang first outlined the key challenges in using biomass for energy and fuel production. To address these common challenges, he systematically presented his team's latest research progress across three key technological areas to explore viable solutions.
1. Biomass Gasification for Hydrogen Production
Professor Pang highlighted a 100 kW-scale dual-fluidized bed gasification system developed by his team. Using steam as the gasification agent, this system enables efficient production of hydrogen-rich syngas. This integrated system offers a new technical approach for biomass-based hydrogen production, holding significant engineering application value.
2. Advances in Biomass Pyrolysis Technology
Regarding pyrolysis technology, Professor Pang's team systematically investigated key technologies, including biomass pretreatment and catalytic fast pyrolysis.Combining pretreatment methods like acid leaching and torrefaction with advanced reactor design effectively improved bio-oil quality and increased liquid fuel yield. The research also explored the impact of catalyst selection and reaction condition optimization on product distribution, providing important technical support for the high-value utilization of biomass.
3. Process Modeling and System Integration Optimization
Professor Pang also introduced an integrated process modeling method for biomass-to-hydrogen production based on dual fluidized bed steam gasification. By establishing a complete process model, the system can be optimized to effectively predict and enhance overall energy efficiency and economic performance, laying the foundation for subsequent comprehensive techno-economic and environmental impact assessments.
Professor Pang emphasized that biomass, as a renewable resource, holds significant potential in future energy supply and achieving carbon neutrality goals, especially with the expected substantial growth in hydrogen demand. He pointed out that current challenges like high costs and low conversion efficiency necessitate further development of advanced gasification and gas processing technologies integrated with CO₂ capture to enhance the output efficiency of biomass-derived fuels.
Following the lecture, attendees actively posed questions on practical issues such as the economic feasibility of biomass hydrogen production, product separation pathways, selection criteria for different biomass feedstocks, and catalyst stability and lifespan. Professor Pang provided detailed answers based on his research experience and engineering case studies, leading to a lively atmosphere.
This report provided a valuable learning opportunity for the faculty and students, offering useful insights for further exploration in related directions and inspiring research ideas. The event effectively promoted international academic exchange and cooperation for our team in the field of biomass energy and low-carbon technologies.
Translated by Letian Zhang
