On the Cover

The generation of hydrogen-rich syngas from renewable feedstocks continues to improve significantly, especially via the gasification process. Steam gasification, hydrothermal gasification, subcritical water gasification, and supercritical water gasification are among the current technology options, each associated with different pros and cons. Co-feeding strategy is also critical for creating sustainable hydrogen-rich syngas from renewable feedstocks whose quantity and quality fluctuate. In addition, microwave-assisted gasification is increasingly used due to its advantages over conventionally-heated gasification. However, bed materials, catalysts, and adsorbents suitable for conventional heating must be reconsidered, and novel materials with high dielectric loss qualities matching the features of microwave heating should be developed. Furthermore, the sustainability features of microwave-assisted gasification and co-gasification for hydrogen-rich syngas synthesis must be scrutinized using tools such as techno-economic and life cycle assessment analyses before their large-scale implementation. In this context, in the March 2022 issue of Biofuel Research Journal, a team of Indonesian researchers has thoroughly analyzed and critically discussed all of the major elements involved in producing hydrogen-rich syngas by microwave heating and co-gasification. They highlighted that while microwave heating is superior to conventional heating, the quantity of hydrogen produced remains small. Nevertheless, the syngas generated via microwave heating has a significantly higher heating value than conventional heating (DOI: 10.18331/BRJ2021.8.4.3). Cover art by BiofuelResJ. ©2021, depicting microwave-assisted gasification.