Biomass Energy:Source,Process, Usage & 5 Important Facts

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Biomass Energy

“Biomass is a collective term, is organic substance which originates from plants and animals.

Biomass comprises stored energy from the sun as tree plants and living green creatures absorb the sun’s energy by famous photosynthesis process. if biomass is burned, the stored chemical form of energy is converted to and released as heat energy. The electrical energy can be generated from that heat.

Biomass is a renewable source of energy”

Facts about Biomass:

  • Biomass is carbon-based organic material collected from plants and living creatures plenty available in the Earth.
  • Biomass stands as renewable energy source; As biomass source can exist globally in real-time and cultivate further by adding crop, trees and left-over part will always be there.
  • Biomass comprises stored energy from the sun as tree plants and living green creatures absorb the sun’s energy by famous photosynthesis process. if biomass is burned, the stored chemical form of energy is converted to and released as heat energy. The electrical energy can be generated from that heat.
  • Chemical stored energy in biomass is converted to heat during burning.
  • Bio-fuel is used to energize vehicles, and is being generated by gasifying the liquid bio-fuel form such as ethanol, bio-diesel, energy generation technique is same as conventional fuel engine technique.

Examples of Biomass:

In several procedures are available to burn biomass for energy production. Specimens of biomass include firewood, grass, litter of poultry farm and crops left-over part such as rice, wheat, willow, sugarcane and supplementary end-part of poplar grown seasonal crops from agrobusiness.

Types of Biomass

  • Wood and wood waste residue. The wood part i.e. logs, bark, chips, and sawdust and rest part of roots. Generally, these are collected as forestry residues from forest. The 44% of biomass energy is generated from wood residue.
  • Left over part from Farming.
  • Waste of Animal such litter of poultry farm and cattle’s etc.
  • Wastes of Industry converted using gasifier.
  • Municipal Solid Wastes.

Why is biomass important?

Advantage of Biomass:

  • Biomass energy produces far less carbon emissions than fossil fuels, reduces the amount of waste sent to landfills and hence less reliance on crude oil and fossil fuel.
  • Biomass offers comparatively clean and renewable form of energy that could significantly improve our atmosphere. Its also advantageous in the economic and energy security point of view as we are using waste part mainly.
  • Biomass can be use as home grown energy.

Disadvantages of biomass Energy:

  • Biomass energy is not as efficient as fossil fuel-based energy. The bio-fuels, i.e. Ethanol, bio-diesel is comparatively inefficient as fossil fuel like petroleum, gasoline.
  • It is not entirely clean as it containing carbon-based product.
  • Sometimes extra need of biomass, people are encouraged to collect more wood, may lead to deforestation and less greenery atmosphere.
  • Space requirement for Biomass power plant is also high as waste segregation and processing is also required.

Basic Blocks of Biomass Energy Production

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Basic Blocks of Biomass Energy Production
Image Credit: SuSanA Secretariat, Short rotation plantation schematic (14488597125), CC BY 2.0

A Schematic view of Biomass segregation and processing plant:

clean energy modular power
A Schematic view of Biomass segregation and processing plant image credit : pixabay free images
inferno fire flame wood burning stove
Biomass Furnace image credit : pixabay free images

What is biomass fuel?

Biomass fuels produce energy from things that once existed such as wood residue, dehydrated vegetation, crop residues, seaweeds like algae, and even from municipal waste.

Biomass source can be converted to liquid bio-fuel form such as ethanol, bio-diesel.

Biomass Energy Production Country-wise:

Biomass-Electricity Countries
Biomass Energy Production Country-wise
Image Credit: Plazak, Top 5 Biomass-Electricity Countries, CC BY-SA 3.0

Is methane a biomass fuel?

Biogas is composed primarily carbon dioxide and Methane. Methane (CH4) is the exact same energy-rich composite found in the natural gas. The biogas usually composed ~ 40% methane to ~ 60% carbon dioxide (CO2), with small quantities of water vapor and other gases the proportion may varies as per availability and utilization.

Methane could possibly be use as fuel and able to produce high temperature. As it’s also a product of burning biomass, it can be recycled and utilized to its full capacity. Additionally, methane gas may be used to create electricity. Additionally, methane is found in compressed natural gas (CNG) and then used as fuels for vehicles.

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