What is Biomass Energy? Exploring Biomass Energy Facts

So what is biomass energy? This energy source indirectly taps into solar energy since the products used to create energy from this renewable source includes waste wood, tree branches and other scraps that are processed in a power plant to create electricity.

So here are the basic steps in generating this energy:

1) The power plant has huge containers that dump the materials into a furnace;

2) The furnace creates heat;

3) The heat in turn boils water in the boiler and creates steam;

4) The steam is then used to turn turbines and generators;

5) The turbines and generators generate electricity;

The other question that is often asked is if biomass energy is renewable?

Here are some biomasss energy facts in the United States:

1) The first U.S. commercial scale biomass plant was set up at the McNeil Power Station in Burlington, Vermont in 1998. It used the technology of SilvaGas that indirectly heats the biomass using heated sand to produce energy. This station is capable to generating 50 megawatts from local wood waste products.

2) We already get 50 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity from biomass in the United States that contribute to approximately 1.5 percent of the nation's electric sales.

So, what are some biomass energy sources. According to the union of concerned scientists, unlike solar and wind energy, we can tap into various materials to get biomass renewable energy. Here are some examples:

1) Energy Crops: If energy crops do not displace or reduce food production then they can definitely be used to create alternative energy. These crops can be grown on marginal lands and/or rotating crops. It is always better to use plants that are native to the land since they will not require higher maintenance and therefore be eco-friendly.

2) Grasses: In the United States, grasses offer a sustainable alternative specially in the prairie land. Native varieties such as switchgrass and big bluestem grow easily and rapidly and can provide fodder for biomass energy for almost 10 years before they need to be planted again. In other parts of the world with different climate (tropical, hot, and wet), thick-stemmed perennials such as sugar cane and elephant grass can be grown and used.

3)Urban wastes: Now, this source is generating a lot of interest in countries with higher population density (such as India) that leads to lot of urban waste creation. Urban waste includes both landfills and sewage treatment plants where methane gas can be collected and used both for heating and energy production. It also includes other waste materials such as shipping pallets and clean, untreated leftover construction wood, biodegradable portion of garbage (paper that wouldn’t be recycled, food, yard waste, etc.). 3) Crop Residues: Crop residues are important to maintain the health of the soil and usually left in the field to recycle nutrients. A percentage of crop residue can definitely be used to create biomass energy.

4) Manure: Manure from livestock and poultry contains valuable nutrients and, with appropriate management, should be an integral part of soil fertility management. Where appropriate, some manure can be converted to renewable energy through anaerobic digesters, combustion or gasification. The anaerobic digesters produce biogas which can either directly displace natural gas or propane, or be burned to generate biopower. For instance, dairy farms that convert cow manure with methane digesters to produce biogas can use the biogas in three ways (or in some combination of these end uses).

5)Woody biomass: This source is currently the largest source of biomass-based heat and renewable electricity. The source includes tree bark, sawdust and other byproducts of milling timber, and paper industry. They provide energy production in terms of both heat and energy and so are more eclectics sources of energy.

Here are two videos of Do-it-yourself (DIY) Biomass Projects

We have to recognize that like all the existing energy sources, biomass also has environmental risks. We have to manage it carefully to prevent biomass energy being harvested at unsustainable rates and damage the delicate ecosystem.

Go to Alternative Energy Sources from Biomass Energy

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