ABSTRACT
Burning of agricultural residues after harvest is one of the sternest causes of severe smog-choking areas in the country. Further, it not only triggers serious public health problems but also loss of energy/value during crop residue burning. On the other hand, our cities are growing at a rapid pace and pose many social, economic, and environmental challenges. One of these is increasing amounts of municipal solid waste for landfilling. It is very interesting to note that 69% of the solid waste is primarily organic food waste. Conversion of these low-value agro residues and organic solid waste into high-heating value bio-coal (bio-carbon/biochar) by torrefaction is not only a serious proposition but also a viable option as well. In the scenario of the post-Paris Agreement (COP-21), torrefaction is regarded as one of the most efficient solutions to convert these waste streams into valuable bio-energy pellets. It may also lead to a move away from a through-away economy to recycle economy.
