What is Biomass?

-
Biomass is organic material
made from plants and
animals (microorganisms).

Biomass is a renewable
energy source
Biomass Energy Sources
Wood wastes and residues
Agricultural crop wastes and residues
Energy crops
Animal wastes
Municipal wastes
Other waste materials
Aquatic plants
We have used biomass energy, or
"bioenergy"the energy from plants and plant-
derived material since people began burning
wood to cook food and keep warm.
Wood is still the largest biomass energy
resource today, but other sources of biomass
can also be used
From agriculture or forestry, oil-rich algae,
and the organic component of municipal and
industrial wastes.
GEOGRAPHIC AREAS
Comes from the
forest
Can also come from
plant and animal
waste
Wood and waste can
be found virtually
anywhere
Transportation costs
BIOMASS AND CARBON
EMMISIONS
Biomass emits carbon dioxide when it
naturally decays and when it is used as an
energy source
Living biomass in plants and trees absorbs
carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through
photosynthesis
Biomass causes a closed cycle with no net
emissions of greenhouse gases
Biomass Conversion Technology
Direct Combustion
Gasification
Pyrolysis
Anaerobic Digestion
Ethanol Production
Biodiesel Production
Methanol Production