Biomass?

Bioenergy

Bioenergy is produced by the release of stored chemical energy contained in fuels made from biomass.

Biomass

Biomass is the product of solar energy that has been stored by the photosynthetic activity of plants. The plants remove CO2 from the atmosphere and combine it with water to produce biomass.

Biomass is in many common waste products, such as:

- agricultural waste
- forest waste
- municipal waste
- food processing waste

Biomass is a renewable fuel that can be sustainably produced. It makes sense to use biomass in place of conventional, non-renewable fuels - oil, gas, and coal - for several good reasons:

» Biomass fuel is a local product. In contrast to coal or petroleum-based fuel, biomass is grown and harvested on locally. Energy dollars spent on biomass fuel stay in the regional economy, creating jobs and supporting forestry and agriculture.

» Biomass fuel prices are generally lower and more stable. Compared to fossil fuels, biomass fuels are historically lower-priced. Also, biomass fuel prices have increased by only about 1 percent per year over the past 20 years.

» Biomass energy is good for the environment. Using biomass in place of fossil fuel reduces the atmospheric buildup of greenhouse gases, which cause climate change, and can also reduce the levels of gases that cause acid rain.

» Biomass fuel is evolving rapidly. Historically, the use of plant and animal material - bio-mass - for energy was limited to the burning of wood. It was dense enough to produce heat for a reasonable length of time, required minimal processing and was in abundant supply. The biomass combustion technology developed at PBE in recent years has made agricultural residues into efficient fuel by the process of densification.