What is Biomass Energy? | Types, Definition, Structure, Function & Facts

What is Biomass Energy?

Biomass sounds like a complicated word, but it really isn’t. Biomass is any material made by plants and animals that we can convert into energy.

Biomass contains energy stored by the sun. Plants get energy from the sun through a process called photosynthesis. Animals get energy indirectly from the sun by eating plants.

Renewable Energy

Biomass energy is considered a renewable energy source because we can always plant more trees. However, it is not an infinite resource because there is not much land and water to grow crops.

Main Types of Biomass Energy

Biomass energy comes in many forms and forms. Much of the biomass energy in the United States comes from wood. Other common forms of biomass include crops such as corn, fertilizers, and even waste.

How do we get power from Biomass?

Burning – One way to release energy from biomass is to burn it. Heat from burning biomass can be used to heat homes or generate steam, which can then generate electricity. An example of this is a fire in your home. You burn wood, which is biomass, and it releases energy that heats your house.

Methane gas – As biomass rots, it produces methane. Methane gas can be used to make natural gas, a common source of energy. This means that as garbage rots in a landfill, that stinky gas can be used for energy!

Biofuels – Some crops, such as corn and sugarcane, can be converted into a biofuel called ethanol. Ethanol can be used in place of gasoline in many types of cars. Another type of biofuel is biodiesel. Biodiesel can be produced from vegetable oils and animal fats. Biodiesel can be used as heating oil and can also power cars and buses.

History of Biomass Energy

Biomass has been used as a source of heat energy since man discovered fire. Many people around the world still burn wood as their main source of heating during the winter. The use of biofuels such as ethanol has also been around for a long time. It was used as a fuel for lamps in the United States in the 1800s. Early Ford Model-Ts used ethanol as a fuel until 1908. More recently, biomass and biofuels have become popular. popular as alternatives to fossil fuels such as gasoline.

Are there any Drawbacks to Biomass Energy?

Some of the disadvantages of using biomass energy include:

Air pollution from combustion.
Release greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide into the atmosphere
Burning garbage and waste can release harmful chemicals and gases into the environment
Land cleared to grow corn and sugarcane can reduce habitat and destroy ecosystems
Land used for biomass farming can be used to grow other food crops
Biomass growth can use fertilizers and other chemicals that can pollute water

Despite all the disadvantages associated with biomass energy, many believe it is a better and cleaner alternative to burning fossil fuels like oil and coal.

Fun Facts about Biomass Energy

Methane gas from cow dung can be used to generate energy.

Most gasoline sold in the United States contains ethanol.

Waste is also burned to produce energy. This not only allows waste to be used for energy, but also reduces the amount of waste ending up in landfills. This process is called Waste-to-Energy.

Farmers generate energy from animal manure using tanks called digesters. The digesters produce biogas, which can be used to generate electricity.

The main ingredient required for ethanol is sugar. These sugars are found in plants like corn, rice, sugarcane, barley, switchgrass, and even grass clippings.