Biomass: A Not So Trashy Option

Another alternative energy source "underdog" is biomass energy. Despite the lack of general knowledge on biomass energy, it's actually the oldest source of renewable energy, and has been used since the discovery of fire. Biomass energy, also known as bioenergy, is energy from plants and plant-derived materials. The plants and plant-derived materials store solar energy in their chemical bonds through the process of photosynthesis. Wood is the most widely used energy resource used, but other sources such as residues from agriculture, oil-rich algae, and organic components of municipal and industrial wastes can be used as well. In fact, even the methane fumes given off by landfills can be used (NREL).

Courtesy of Eco-Friendly Boilers for Renewable Living

Although it is not as obvious as other energy sources, biomass energy is yet another renewable energy source since the resources used for biomass energy can re-grow in a relatively short period of time in comparison to the hundreds of millions of years it takes for fossil fuels to form.

Before the industrial revolution, biomass, in the form of wood, was used for nearly 91% of all energy consumption. Biomass energy officially got its name around 1975, when the idea really caught on and took off. During this time, imported oil costs were rising and the issues caused by mining coal became public. Biomass was an appealing alternative since it used natural materials that were abundant (Biomass.net). 

In the 1980's the Office of Technology Assessment estimated that more than 25% of the US's energy needs would be fulfilled by biomass energy, but this estimation was never reached, and won't be reached if fossil fuels are still used (Biomass.net). 

Currently, biomass covers about 10% of the world's energy supply. 66% of this 10% is its use in developing countries for cooking and heating. In the United States, there is enough land and agricultural networks to replace half of the nation's gasoline or nuclear energy use. But, the world's population has only taken advantage of about 7% of its annual production of biomass (Biomass Magazine). 

There are many different processes that can be used in order to get power form biomass. The first process is burning. The heat from burning biomass can be harnessed to heat homes or create steam which can then be used to generate electricity. The second process takes advantage of methane gas. When biomass rots it releases methane gas which can be transformed into natural gas. That's right! The stink that trash gives off as it rots can be used for energy! Finally, biofuels utilizes some crops, such as corn and sugar cane, and converts it into the biofuel ethanol (Middlebury). 

Biomass is viewed as a viable option because of the advantages it possesses. First, biomass being used as a fuel reduces the need for fossil fuels for the production of heat, steam, and electricity. The reduction of fossil fuels also reduces the greenhouse gases released into the environment, and also preserves fossil fuels which are nonrenewable. Second, using biomass can reduce dependence on foreign oil since biofuels provide a renewable liquid transportation fuel. Not to mention, biomass energy supports the US agricultural and forest-product industries and increases job opportunities. The crops that will be used for biomass can grow sustainably on land that doesn't support intensive food crops. Therefore, it doesn't affect the current agriculture. Furthermore, the use of waste materials reduces landfill disposal, making space for other things. 

Finally, the biggest advantage of biomass energy is its potential to decrease greenhouse gas emissions. Although burning biomass releases just about the same amount of carbon dioxide as burning fossil fuels does, burning fossil fuels is the equivalent to releasing "new" greenhouse gases. This is because the carbon dioxide released from burning fossil fuels was energy stored through the process of photosynthesis millions of years ago. Conversely, burning biomass releases carbon dioxide that is balanced by the carbon dioxide that was captured during its growth. 

However, like all energy sources, there are also disadvantages. First, the process of creating biomass energy is pretty expensive. The materials used for biomass are living, and therefore are expensive to care for. Second, biomass energy is not as efficient as fossil fuels. In comparison to gasoline, the biodiesel ethanol is highly inefficient. Not to mention, ethanol often needs to be mixed with gasoline to work anyways. Finally, biomass energy requires more fuel to do the same job as conventional fuels, which can cause environmental problems of its own. In order to get enough lumber to power a nation full of vehicles or even a power plant, companies would need to destroy a considerable forest area. With deforestation already being a problem, doing so could cause extreme consequences (Energy Informative). 

Maybe in the future, new and improved technologies will be invented that will solve the issues that arise from using biomass energy, making it an option with more advantages than drawbacks.