Agro-Waste Management and Valorization

Pratibha S. Agrawal, Richa Tiwari, Pramod N. Belkhode, Samuel Lalthazuala Rokhum

• Publisher: Wiley-VCH
• Year: 2025
• Print ISBN: 9783527355754
• eBook ISBN: 9783527854202
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Technology & Engineering
• Subtopic: Energy
• Index: Technology & Engineering

Presents cutting-edge insights on transforming agricultural waste into renewable energy, sustainable materials, and economic opportunities

The urgent need to transition toward sustainable development has propelled agro-waste management to the forefront of global research and policy initiatives. Agricultural residues, once treated as environmental burdens, now offer vast potential as renewable feedstocks for biofuels, compost, and biochar, as well as for driving innovations in the circular economy.

Agro-Waste Management and Valorization provides an authoritative and comprehensive overview of the scientific, technological, and economic frameworks required to turn agricultural waste into valuable resources. Through a multidisciplinary lens, the authors examine the chemistry, engineering, and environmental principles that shape modern waste-to-value pathways, while situating these approaches within relevant legislative and policy contexts.

The book integrates fundamental concepts, applied research, and real-world case studies to demonstrate how biological and thermochemical conversion processes, waste biorefineries, and digital innovations can advance sustainability goals. Detailed analyses of bio-additives, composting strategies, and algae-based biorefineries highlight the practical applications of waste valorization across diverse agricultural systems. In-depth chapters incorporate techno-economic analyses and life cycle assessments to equip readers with the tools needed to evaluate feasibility and long-term impact.

Both synthesizing current knowledge and charting a pathway for future inquiry and technology transfer in the field, Agro-Waste Management and Valorization:

• Explores advanced bioconversion and thermochemical techniques with detailed process parameters and optimization strategies
• Highlights studies of waste-to-energy technologies and their integration into sustainable agricultural systems
• Analyzes international and national policy frameworks shaping agro-waste management and valorization
• Examines waste biorefinery and algal biorefinery models with real-world scalability considerations
• Includes techno-economic analysis (TEA) and life cycle assessment (LCA) of key technologies
• Investigates innovative uses of glycerol and biochar, as well as emerging digital tools such as IoT for efficient waste monitoring and processing

Agro-Waste Management and Valorization is an essential reference for graduate and postgraduate students in environmental chemistry, chemical engineering, agricultural sciences, and biotechnology, particularly in courses such as Environmental Sustainability, Waste Management, and Renewable Energy Systems. It is equally valuable for researchers, policymakers, and professionals in biotechnological and agricultural industries who are seeking practical and research-based approaches to agro-waste valorization.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Table of Contents
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Preface
• Chapter 1: Waste-to-value Opportunity and Challenges
• Chapter 2: A Perspective on the Emergence and Need for Alternate Fuels
• Chapter 3: The Role of Waste in the Circular Economy, Policies, and Legislation
• Chapter 4: Agro-waste Management
• Chapter 5: Waste Biorefinery
• Chapter 6: Algal Biorefinery
• Chapter 7: Waste-to-bio-additive
• Chapter 8: Agro-waste to Compost
• Chapter 9: Glycerol: From Abundant Byproduct to Valuable Bio-oil
• Chapter 10: Production of Biochar
• Chapter 11: Waste Valorization for Biogas Production: A Pathway to a Circular Economy
• Chapter 12: Digitalization for Agro-waste Management
• Index
• End User License Agreement