Biomass Energy

What are biomass and biomass energy?
Biomass is defined as organic material derived from plant and animal growth. All biomass contains carbon, just as coal and petroleum do. Biomass energy is energy produced from biomass resources that can be used to heat homes and business, power automobiles and trucks, and produce electricity.

What are some common examples of biomass energy resources?
Examples of biomass energy resources and the most likely energy end-use include the following:

How are biomass resources converted to a useable energy source?
When used for generating electricity, biomass resources such as switchgrass and wood wastes are typically burned to transform water into steam, which drives a turbine-attached electrical generator. Biomass can also be used for "co-firing" through which small amounts of biomass (5-15% by heat content) are combusted with coal in traditional coal-fired generating units. This practice reduces the quantity of coal consumed, and thus results in lower levels of pollution emissions.

Animal manures are commonly used to produce low-grade methane gas by placing them in a storage tank devoid of oxygen and allowing them to decompose. The decomposition process generates methane gas and also produces a sludge, which can be used as a nutrient supplement for agricultural cropland. This process is referred to as anaerobic digestion.

Corn stover and switchgrass can be used to produce bioethanol, which is similar to ethanol derived from corn grain and grain sorghum. The corn stover and switchgrass are converted to sugars which are fermented into ethanol. The major environmental advantage associated with switchgrass is decreased sediment and nutrient transport to and buildup in streams, rivers, and reservoirs, because switchgrass is much better at holding the soil and nutrients in the field during periods of intense rainfall.

Oils, fats, and waste greases can be converted into a substitute diesel fuel called biodiesel through the use of a transesterification process that combines the oil, fat, or grease with an alcohol and catalyst to produce the biodiesel. This biodiesel can then be mixed with conventional diesel fuel or used by itself. Biodiesel is a cleaner burning fuel that provides significantly better environmental and health benefits versus conventional diesel fuel.

WEB SITES (for more information)
www.westbioenergy.org
www.nrel.gov/clean_energy/
www.bioenergy.ornl.gov/bfdpmain.html
www.eia.doe.gov
www.nbb.org