How Biomass is Made
The process of plants absorbing the sun’s energy is called photosynthesis. As animals and humans eat the plants, that chemical energy is passed on. Biomass is organic material that comes from plants and animals and contains stored energy from the sun.
Biomass is renewable energy.
Renewable energy is energy that occurs naturally. In addition to biomass, solar, wind, tidal, wave and hydro-electric power, that hasn’t been derived from fossil or nuclear fuel, is also biomass. Examples of biomass fuels are wood, crops, manure and rotted garbage.
There is more than one way that biomass can be used to produce energy. When it is burned, the chemical energy in biomass is released as heat. When you burn wood in your fireplace or wood burning stove, that wood is biomass fuel. This is the most common use. But, biomass can also be converted into other viable forms of energy such as methane gas, ethanol and biodiesel.
Methane Gas
The principal component of methane is natural gas. Methane derived from biomass is a renewable energy source. A primary source of methane gas is landfills. A vast amount of methane is created naturally as the waste in landfills decomposes. This gas can be harnessed and used by gas-to-energy plants to fuel engine or turbine driven generators of electricity reducing fossil fuel dependency.
Ethanol
This alcohol fuel comes from sugars found primarily in grains such as corn and wheat. Ethanol is a transportation fuel made from biomass materials. Currently, most of the ethanol used in the US comes from corn. The process of distilling ethanol from corn is considered costly. Scientists continue to seek alternative methods of making ethanol by using all parts of plants and trees. This would help reduce cost. Also, ethanol is a renewable energy source.
Biodiesel
In the United States, biodiesel is rapidly growing as an alternative fuel. Unlike diesel fuel made from petroleum, biodiesel is a renewable fuel source. Biodiesel is made from vegetable oils, animal fats, or grease. Maybe you’ve seen one of those diesel trucks attach a hose to McDonald’s and wondered what they were doing. They are actually collecting the grease to be recycled into biodiesel fuel. Biodiesel fuels are becoming more popular because:
- Biodiesel fuel can be used in vehicles that already use diesel fuel made from petroleum.
- It can be stored and transported .
- It is clean burning and easy to use
- Biodiesel fuel is cost efficient
- Biodiesel fuel is a renewable energy source
A Better Understanding
A shift from fossil fuels to biomass fuels cannot be accomplished overnight. It is an environmentally wise decision, however, to promote the use of biomass fuels. The most important reason is that biomass is a renewable energy source rendering it a wise alternative in reducing our dependence on fossil fuels.
About the Author
Joni Keith is an accomplished writer having had her first work published at the age of eight. Her love of writing has been fueled by her passion to educate people on renewable energy sources.
To learn more about renewable energy
Click Here!
Click Here! to visit GreenLiving
