Relation between energy efficiency and GHG emissions in drying units using forest biomass

The impacts of climate change are inevitable and driven by increased levels of greenhouse gases (GHG) in the atmosphere, requiring mitigation and re-adaptation measures. In this context, this article critically analyzes the influence of drying technology type, forest biomass, and GHG emissions resulting from the energy required for drying agricultural crops, by presenting a case study of tobacco drying. In this study, the influence of increasing the technological level of drying unit (curing units CUs), using E. saligna and E. dunnii firewood and Pinus sp. pellets, was evaluated; considering consumption efficiency, energy efficiency, and concentration of gas emissions (CO, CO2, CXHY and NOX), as well as emission factors in tCO₂-eq. The results showed that when increasing the technological level of the CUs, there is a decrease in fuel consumption and emissions. The reduction can reach 60.28% for the amount of biomass consumed and 67.06% in emissions in tCO₂-eq; for the scenario of a production crop, using a CU with a continuous load (Chongololo) and firewood from E. dunnii. The use of pellets proved to be efficient, with the lowest consumption of biomass and emissions with more technological CUs.