Fossil fuels such as oil, coal and natural gas represent the prime
energy sources in the world. It is anticipated that these sources of
energy will deplete within the next 40–50 years. Moreover, the expected environmental damages such as the global warming, acid
rain and urban smog due to the production of emissions from these
sources have tempted the world to try to reduce carbon emissions
by 80% and shift towards utilizing a variety of renewable energy
resources [1]. Unlike fossil fuel, biomass does not take millions of
years to develop. Plants use sunlight through photosynthesis to
metabolize atmospheric carbon dioxide and grow. Animals grow
by taking in food from biomass. Fossil fuels do not reproduce
whereas biomass does, and, for that reason, is considered renewable. This is one of its major attractions as a source of energy or
chemicals [2]. Use of biomass as fuels for generating electricity,
heat, or producing of any form of power has become a focus of scientific and technical researches. Many agricultural residues can be
used as fuels. They include straw from grains; husks from rice,
coconuts, or coffee; stalks from maize or cotton; and bagasse from
sugar cane [3].