Can the state of Hawaiʻi reach its 100% renewable electricity target by 2045? The skeptics may harbour their doubts, but Samir Khanal and Tomoaki Miura have a plan – and a grant – that could facilitate connecting bioresources with bioenergy interests.
Samir, of the Dept. of Molecular Biosciences and Bioengineering, and Tomoaki, of the Dept. of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, have partnered on a recent $150,000 Sun Grant Western Region grant. Their goal? To develop the first comprehensive geodatabase on the spatiotemporal availability of bioresources across the major Hawaiian Islands, as well as assess their bioenergy production potential.
As Samir explains, bioenergy generated from bioresources like agricultural residues and animal manures, via anaerobic digestion (AD), could significantly contribute to the state’s renewable energy portfolio and grid stability.
But to fully leverage that supply, interested businesses and startups must know where each one is and how much energy could be obtained. Samir and Tomoaki aim to fill this gap by synergistically combining geographical information system (GIS)-based modeling with bioconversion data. Easy access and analysis are critical, so the database they envision will be an interactive, online tool, providing vital insights that will encourage the widespread adoption of distributed AD technology.
“The National Renewable Energy Laboratory Biofuels Atlas, a valuable tool for identifying areas with abundant feedstocks, does not have specific data for Hawai‘i,” Samir says. “Given the decentralized nature of bioresources across the Hawaiian Islands, developing a comprehensive bioenergy feedstock map is essential.”
Tomoaki adds, “We will gather field data from all four major islands and employ GIS-based analysis specifically aimed at mapping the bioenergy potential of agricultural residues and animal manures within the Hawaiian Islands. This information is crucial for resource management and for strategically planning the size and location of processing facilities to maximize both economic and environmental benefits to the state.”
In Related News, Samir was recently appointed Editor-in-Chief of the journal Bioresource Technology, reflecting his achievements in the field of biological waste treatment/bioconversion and bioenergy. The journal is considered tier one, ranks first in Agricultural Engineering with impact factor of 11.4, and receives nearly 10,000 manuscripts per year with an acceptance rate of 15-20%, according to Samir. Emeritus faculty and past CTAHR dean Andrew Hashimoto was a founding editor in the 1970s of the journal, known then as Agricultural Wastes. Congrats Samir!
In Related News, Tomoaki was recently named a fellow of the American Academy of Sciences, Biological Sciences section! “Tomoaki is highly distinguished among peers and colleagues and we are overjoyed to recognize him for his extraordinary achievements across disciplines,” the AAS wrote. “You are being honored for distinguished and sustained contributions to the application of advanced remote sensing technology in the fields of agriculture, conservation biology, and ecology.” Congrats Tomoaki-san!