Biomass
How does biomass produce electricity?
"In a process called photosynthesis, plants capture sunlight and transform it into chemical energy. This energy may then be converted into electricity, heat, or liquid fuels using a number of different energy conversion processes. Two of these processes are as follows: Solid biomass fuels are burned in a boiler. The heat produced turns water to steam which is then used to turn a turbine generator to produce electricity. The second method involves gasifying the biomass and then burning it. The organic resources that are used to produce energy using these processes are collectively called biomass"
(Center for Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technology).
This animation illustrates one way that biomass can be burned and then used.
This animation created by Jill Mack.
What does biomass consist of?
Biomass is a versatile energy source. Organic matter that is used as a source of
biomass energy includes trees, timber waste, wood chips, corn,
rice hulls, peanut shells, sugar cane, grass clippings, leaves,
manure, municipal solid waste, etc. This organic matter can be burned directly. Also, these various materials, once they ferment, produce gases such as methanol or ethanol that can be used to fuel a fire.
(Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Network)
(Energy Information Administration)
Biomass Use in Ohio
An example of the use of biomass here in Ohio can be seen at Sauder Woodworking located in Archbold. Seven years ago, this company didn't know what to do with the wood waste they produced, so they decided to burn it to yield electricity. By doing this, Sauder can then sell the electricity to Toledo Edison and buy back some of the electricity at a reduced rate (Great Lakes Casebook, 7).
A Great Lakes Casebook, 1995, pg. 7
This is a map of biomass energy facilities in the seven Great Lakes states.
Little Known Facts
"U.S. utilities use biomass to generate more than 7,500 megawatts of electricity--enough power to meet the energy needs of several million households. Today, various forms of biomass energy account for nearly 4 percent of all energy consumed in the U.S. and 45 percent of renewable energy used in the U.S. By 2010, biomass power could provide an additional 3000 megawatts of electric capacity in the U.S., increasing the total contribution of this sustainable energy supply to 10,000 megawatts of capacity.
Worldwide, biomass is the fourth largest energy resource after coal, oil and natural gas (National Renewable Energy Laboratory)."
(National Renewable Energy Laboratory)
Does burning biomass add CO2 (a greenhouse gas) to the environment?
Yes, but burning new biomass contributes no net carbon dioxide to the atmosphere because if we replant harvested biomass, carbon dioxide is reabsorbed by the growing plants.
(Energy Information Administration)
Environmental Impact
A few potential problems with biomass are global warming (if new biomass isn't planted at the same rate biomass is burned), air pollution, and problems related to agriculture and forestry. Go to this site to read about some of the negative environmental effects of burning biomass. This site explains how burning biomass for energy could potentially hurt the environment.
Go To This Site
Study will take critical look at biomass and bioenergy
"The US Department of Energy is commissioning a study to analyze the impact of biomass and bioenergy in the future energy mix and the barriers that could stand in its way.
The Arthur D. Little Inc (Cambridge, MA, USA) study will take a critical look at the economic impacts of expanded biomass production and bioenergy use. It will also look at the environmental impact of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the policy changes required to meet the President's goal of tripling America's use of biomass by 2010 and the potential barriers to achieving these objectives.
The $528,000 one-year study will examine areas such as the availability of biomass resources; their current uses; research and development progress and opportunities; current biomass market conditions; projected market trends; economic and environmental costs of using biomass; and the potential benefits of developing bioenergy and biobased product industries (The International Renewable Energy Magazine)."
The American Biomass Association is also a very useful website with a lot of interesting information.
Go To This Site
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This page last updated April 18, 2002.