2
Chapter 1 · The Overview - Introduction
1
Renewable raw materials are any organic
materials that grow and are available again
and again. They are used in agriculture
or forestry and are mainly used for in the
non-food sector. They can be used both
materially and energetically.
Chapter Timetable
5 Here, you can find out which materials
belong to the renewable raw materials.
5 You will learn the most important
renewable raw materials in terms of
quantity (the primary ingredients), but
also the structurally important secondary
raw materials.
5 The renewable raw materials are
compared with the fossil raw materials
coal, petroleum and natural gas. We
are discussing whether the renewable
raw materials will reduce fossil fuel
consumption or can completely replace
it.
5 The advantages, but also the
accompanying problems of the
renewable raw materials, are explained.
1.1 Definitions
Actually, everyone knows what renewable raw
materials are: These are substances that occur
in nature and grow back every year. All plants,
trees, plants, flowers, fruits, cereals, grasses
and vegetables would be “renewable” according to this very general definition. In this
book, however, mainly those substances are
considered which can also serve as raw materials for the organic chemist, the pharmaceutical manufacturer or the energy producer. The
food sector, e.g. the calorie content, the taste
or the health advantages or disadvantages of
different olive oils, is not covered in this book.
But we must be aware that many of the natural substances considered are suitable both as
food and as chemical raw materials and that,
of course, the use for the nutrition of the continually growing human race has the higher
priority.
In addition to the term renewables, there
is also the term biomass, which is usually used
in a very similar way. In order to exclude its use
as a foodstuff, there is also the term industrial
biomass. In this book, we want to use the term
renewable raw materials throughout and determine the following definition:
Old trees that must be preserved are expressly
excluded from this definition. The definition
includes any organic residues from agriculture
and forestry, e.g. sawdust from wood processing
or straw from the grain harvest. Also, vegetable
raw materials of marine origin, e.g. seaweed, are
also considered, although they are not produced
in traditional agriculture and forestry but have to
be collected or cultivated specially.
The definition of renewable raw materials
includes all living organisms and thus not only
vegetable but also animal sources. In slaughterhouses, for example, large quantities of beef tallow are produced which are less suitable for our
nutrition but can be used well for further processing into soaps.
The source of all renewable raw materials is
ultimately the sun, because the growth of plants,
and thus the production of food for animals and
humans, is only made possible by the energy
of sunlight. The decisive chemical reaction is
the photosynthesis of carbohydrates from carbon dioxide and water with release of oxygen
(Eq. 1.1.).
1.2 The Different Types
of Renewable Raw Materials
Biology distinguishes between primary and secondary plant substances. The primary ingredients are substances that are essential for the
structure and reproduction of plants. They
ensure that the plant is stable but also elastic
and, for example, that a tree is not blown down
even by extreme winds. Many plants also build
up energy reserves for their propagation, e.g.
(1.1)
nCO 2 + nH 2 O
h·v
→ (CH 2 O) n + nO 2
Chapter 1 · The Overview - Introduction
1
Renewable raw materials are any organic
materials that grow and are available again
and again. They are used in agriculture
or forestry and are mainly used for in the
non-food sector. They can be used both
materially and energetically.
Chapter Timetable
5 Here, you can find out which materials
belong to the renewable raw materials.
5 You will learn the most important
renewable raw materials in terms of
quantity (the primary ingredients), but
also the structurally important secondary
raw materials.
5 The renewable raw materials are
compared with the fossil raw materials
coal, petroleum and natural gas. We
are discussing whether the renewable
raw materials will reduce fossil fuel
consumption or can completely replace
it.
5 The advantages, but also the
accompanying problems of the
renewable raw materials, are explained.
1.1 Definitions
Actually, everyone knows what renewable raw
materials are: These are substances that occur
in nature and grow back every year. All plants,
trees, plants, flowers, fruits, cereals, grasses
and vegetables would be “renewable” according to this very general definition. In this
book, however, mainly those substances are
considered which can also serve as raw materials for the organic chemist, the pharmaceutical manufacturer or the energy producer. The
food sector, e.g. the calorie content, the taste
or the health advantages or disadvantages of
different olive oils, is not covered in this book.
But we must be aware that many of the natural substances considered are suitable both as
food and as chemical raw materials and that,
of course, the use for the nutrition of the continually growing human race has the higher
priority.
In addition to the term renewables, there
is also the term biomass, which is usually used
in a very similar way. In order to exclude its use
as a foodstuff, there is also the term industrial
biomass. In this book, we want to use the term
renewable raw materials throughout and determine the following definition:
Old trees that must be preserved are expressly
excluded from this definition. The definition
includes any organic residues from agriculture
and forestry, e.g. sawdust from wood processing
or straw from the grain harvest. Also, vegetable
raw materials of marine origin, e.g. seaweed, are
also considered, although they are not produced
in traditional agriculture and forestry but have to
be collected or cultivated specially.
The definition of renewable raw materials
includes all living organisms and thus not only
vegetable but also animal sources. In slaughterhouses, for example, large quantities of beef tallow are produced which are less suitable for our
nutrition but can be used well for further processing into soaps.
The source of all renewable raw materials is
ultimately the sun, because the growth of plants,
and thus the production of food for animals and
humans, is only made possible by the energy
of sunlight. The decisive chemical reaction is
the photosynthesis of carbohydrates from carbon dioxide and water with release of oxygen
(Eq. 1.1.).
1.2 The Different Types
of Renewable Raw Materials
Biology distinguishes between primary and secondary plant substances. The primary ingredients are substances that are essential for the
structure and reproduction of plants. They
ensure that the plant is stable but also elastic
and, for example, that a tree is not blown down
even by extreme winds. Many plants also build
up energy reserves for their propagation, e.g.
(1.1)
nCO 2 + nH 2 O
h·v
→ (CH 2 O) n + nO 2