Biomass energy
Introduction: The world is constantly developing. However, with development come a few dire side effects too. One of them is the consumption of non-renewable energy. Non-renewable energy is the energy we will eventually run out of. In addition to this issue, most non-renewable energy forms have harmful consequences on the environment. Therefore it is imperative to find other forms of renewable energy, which will not run out or harm the environment. One such energy is biomass energy.
Biomass is plant
and animal based material that can be used as fuel to produce heat or
electricity, which is called biofuel. This includes crops, manure, wood and
even garbage. Biomass is one of the frontrunners in the renewable energy space
and with technology developing rapidly; it could pave way to a greener planet.
The history of biomass energy: Biomass energy has been in use ever since humans discovered fire; they burnt wood, which is derived from nature, for fuel. Over time, advanced forms of biofuel began to emerge, such as ethanol. In the 1800s and during the industrial revolution, ethanol was used as lamp fuel. In the 1900s, cars ran on ethanol. In the last few years, scientists have started to experiment and use biofuels as an excellent alternative fuels like gasoline.
How is biofuel
generated?
1) Burning:
There are several ways to get energy from biomass. The simplest way is to burn
it. Garbage and wood can be burnt to generate steam and electricity. Power plants
that burn biomass are called waste-to-energy plants. Sometimes, fast-growing
crops like sugarcane are grown primarily for their energy value. Scientists are
also researching ways to grow aquatic plants like seaweed and algae for their
energy value.
2) Bacterial
decay: The second method is called bacterial decay. Bacteria feed on dead
plants and animals. As these animals and plants decay, they produce a
colourless smelly gas called methane. Methane is extremely rich in energy. It
is also the main ingredient in natural gas. Methane can be burnt to generate
heat and electricity. In some landfills, wells are drilled into piles of
garbage to capture methane produced from the decaying waste. This methane gas
can be purified and used as energy as, just like natural gas.
3) Fermentation:
The third way is fermentation. Yeast is added to biomass such that the chemical
reaction that occurs transforms biomass into ethanol. Ethanol is sometimes made
from corn too and this ethanol is used to make motor fuel.
4) Conversion:
The fourth method is conversion where heat or chemicals are added to the
biomass to change it to gas and liquid fuels.
Applications of
biomass:
Biomass can be
used for the smallest to the most significant operations. It can be used in
homes for cooking or heating and can also be used in large power plants to
produce electricity. In residential applications, biomass can be used for
heating a space or for cooking. Wood is the most common fuel source. New
designs for wood stoves improve the efficiency of the cooking or heating
systems, decreasing the amount of fuel that is needed.
Many industrial
facilities, such as lumber mills, naturally produce organic waste that can be
used to produce energy. Industry and businesses use biomass for several
purposes, including heating up spaces and water and electricity generation. In
the future, plants may be grown to fuel power plants. Farmers may also have
huge farms of energy crops to produce ethanol and other biofuels for
transportation.
Advantages of
biomass:
Biomass is a
renewable resource, which means we will never run out of it. It is highly
versatile and can be made from plethora of resources. Moreover, it is extremely
readily available and not much infrastructure is needed to produce the raw
resources.
Disadvantages of
biomass:
While biomass is
a renewable resource, biomass does have some drawbacks. When burnt, it causes
air pollution; gases such as carbon dioxide and other harmful chemicals are
released that pollute the air. Building plants that can utilise biomass can be
expensive. If too many people start using crops as biomass, it could also cause
deforestation. Moreover, growing plants requires large amounts of water, which
could be put to better use since freshwater is also a struggling resource. So,
though biomass fuels do offer a lot of versatility and could emerge as an
extremely useful resource in the future, they may not be the answer to all our
problems.
