TECHNICOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF WASTE BIOMASS OF PUPUNHEIRA FOR BIOENERGY PRODUCTION

Abstract

The high generation of organic material in the production and processing of palm heart demands an adequate management of this biomass, destining it to an efficient and sustainable use. In this sense, this research aimed to characterize the residual biomass of Bactris gasipaes Kunth (Pupunheira), from the heart-of-palm harvesting on the coast of Paraná (PR) for the production of bioenergy. The study was developed at the experimental station of the Instituto de Desenvolvimento Rural do Paraná - IAPAR - EMATER (IDR - Paraná) in the city of Morretes-PR. For the execution of the work, three plants were selected at the cut point of the heart-of-palm, which were cut and separated in stipe, leaves and palm heart with sheath. The moisture content, apparent density, gross and net heat value, proximate analysis, structural components of the biomass (holocellulose and lignin contents), extract content and  Fuel Value Index (FVI) were determined. The residual dry biomass was 20,065 kg ha^-1 year^-1, with the leaves representing (55.51 %). The results indicated that the stipe sample  with the highest FVI suggesting that this material is the most suitable for energy use, but not excluding, the leaves that are potential for their use in energy generation.