## 7 Emerging Research and Innovations
### Biochar and Activated Carbon from Residuals  
As mentioned before, grape production and wine industry operations generate significant biomass residues, which are often treated as waste due to high transportation costs and low demand for by-products. Open burning, a standard disposal method, harms the environment [79].  
Thermochemical conversion technologies can process biomass closer to harvest sites, improving transportation efficiency and producing valuable bio-products. Distributed-scale systems are being developed for this purpose; however, knowledge gaps exist regarding their outputs and integration into existing supply chains, posing investment risks [79].  
There are few studies on thermochemical conversion of grape and wine by-products, making it necessary to compare these systems with those for forest biomass and other sources.  
The study conducted by [PERSON] et al. [79] characterizes the producer gas, biochar, and activated carbon produced by a 700 kg h\({}^{-1}\) prototype gasification system (TEA) and a 225 kg h\({}^{-1}\) pyrolysis system (BSI) using coniferous sawmill and forest residues. The goal was to understand the products from distributed-scale thermochemical conversion systems for forest biomass, which are not widely deployed or well-characterized in this sector [79]. (i) The gas from the TEA gasifier had a higher energy content than the gas from the BSI pyrolysis system. For the TEA system, gas from sawmill residues averaged 12.4 MJ m\({}^{-3}\), and gas from forest residues averaged 9.8 MJ m\({}^{-3}\). Gas from the BSI system averaged 1.3 MJ m\({}^{-3}\) for mill residues and 2.5 MJ m\({}^{-3}\) for forest residues. (ii) Biocharsfrom both systems showed similar particle size distributions and bulk density but varied in pH and carbon content. (iii) Biochars from both systems were successfully activated using steam activation, achieving BET surface areas within the range of commercial activated carbon [79].  
Distributed thermochemical conversion systems can help meet operational needs in wood product manufacturing, including waste disposal, heat production, power generation, and the creation of value-added products. The gas and biochar outputs from the studied systems can produce heat, electricity, and various marketable products. However, uncertainties remain [79].  
[PERSON] et al. [80] investigated how hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) and slow pyrolysis (SP) produce distinct biochar precursors from corn stover, with HTC facilitating more efficient biomass breakdown at lower temperatures. HTC biochars contain more oxygen-based surface functional groups. The preparation method significantly influences the properties of activated carbon (AC); AC from corn stover and HTC biochars exhibit higher surface areas and better vanillin adsorption compared to AC from SP biochars. While surface area is important, pore structure and surface functional groups also impact adsorption performance. [PERSON] et al. [80] also suggest that AC from corn stover could be as effective as that from HTC and SP biochars, indicating that the additional biochar synthesis step may not be necessary for producing AC adsorbents for phenolic compounds.  
The study by [PERSON] et al. [81] demonstrates that Brewer's Spent Grain (BSG) and Brewer's Surplus Yeast (BSY) can be effectively utilized as raw materials to produce value-added products, such as granular activated carbon (GAC) and bio-oil, via pyrolysis and CO\({}_{2}\) activation. The implementation of this reuse strategy can provide significant benefits by generating valuable products, creating jobs, and addressing pollution issues associated with brewery residues.