Biomass

Renewable

• Biomass, a renewable energy source derived from organic matter such as wood, crop waste, or garbage
• Makes up 50% of all U.S. renewable energy
• 90% of all existing biomass power plants use wood residue and there are currently 115 power plants in development that will burn biomass to generate electricity.

Methods of Extraction/ Collection of Resource

• The resources come from plants like crops and forest residue
• Energy crops, corn kernels, fast growing trees and perennial grass are all examples of reasources of biomass energy

Methods of Extraction/ Collection of Resource

• The resources come from plants like crops and forest residue
• Energy crops, corn kernels, wood, human and animal waste, fast growing trees and perennial grass are all examples of reasources of biomass energy

Electrical Generation

• Biomass encompasses a bunch of materials that then can be converted into electrical power through a few diffrent methods.
• The most common use is direct combustion of biomass, such as agricultural waste or wood materials
• You can also use the gasification process, if needed gas like energy

Resources

• Wood
• Waste
• Gasification for gas energy

Pollutants Produced/ Released

• Burning biomass for energy emits large amounts of air pollution, and endangers human health
• Biomass incinerators produce hundreds of tons of nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds
• Biomass burning also produces fine particulate matter a pollutant associated with asthma, heart disease, and cancer

Benefits of This Type of Energy Generation

• Biomass energy is used in today's power plants includes wood residues, agricultural/farm residues, food processing residues (such as nut shells), and methane gas from landfills.
• Biomass fuels produce virtually no sulfur emissions, and help mitigate acid rain.
• Biomass energy crops can be a profitable alternative for farmers,

Limitations of This Type of Energy Generation:

• Expensive
• Harmful to Environment: using animal and human waste to power engines may save on carbon dioxide emissions, but it increases methane gases,
• using animal and human waste to power engines may save on carbon dioxide emissions, but it increases methane gases,