Grading Bamboo Pruning Pellets

The cultivation of bamboo has been attracting increasing attention in Europe, recently. Bamboo is appreciated for its aesthetic value in ornamental gardening and is being increasingly used for textiles, flooring and furniture. Due to its mechanical properties, it can also be used in construction. Besides, it is a fast-growing plant that can contribute to carbon sequestration. Bamboo cultivation generates residues that are currently challenging to valorise as by-products and as well in-situ burning does not represent a sustainable option from an environmental perspective. On the other hand, the valorisation of raw bamboo residues in biomass power plants is limited due to their low energy density, which results in high transportation costs per unit of energy. Pelletising is a densification process that has proved to be beneficial both for improving combustion properties of biomass and for increasing its energy density, alleviating the impact of transportation costs, thus. In assessing the viability of using bamboo pellets for energy production, so far, studies have focused on pellets obtained from full bamboo culms. However, full culms can have other uses and can be directed to other competing markets. The pellets obtained from bamboo pruning residues will be analysed according to the standards outlined in ISO 17225 and compared with the quality of pellets produced from spruce wood by-products, such as sawdust. This approach aims to evaluate the potential for valorising bamboo pruning residues and fostering circular practices in Europe.