1. Introduction
Energy is the key factor in economic development of a country. Global energy use is rising
very rapidly, and as emerging markets continue to grow, build-out their vital infrastructure
and create the consumers of tomorrow, the world will continue to see energy demand
skyrocket. To that end, both investors and governments have been exploring solutions, such
as efficiency measures and renewable energy generation as a way to satiate that exploding
demand. The use of biomass residues and wastes for chemical and energy production was
first seriously investigated during the oil embargo of the 1970s.