Biomass is the prime building block of biofuels, highly used for electricity production to produce heat in the context of energy, as an alternative to fossil fuels. Biomass is a basic term in ecology, and in the energy production industry. The combustion products from complete combustion of biomass generally contain nitrogen, water vapor, carbon dioxide and surplus of oxygen. The total amount of organic material produced by living organisms in a particular area. Biomass can refer to the living stock of species in a given habitat, but can also refer to a harvested subset. Biomass biomass at a glance, 2016 the need project. Biomass can be converted into multiple commodity chemicals. Biomass energy from plant and animal matter biomass is organic material made from plants and animals. Biomass energy is the use of organic material to generate energy.
Biomass refers to the mass of living organisms, including plants, animals, and microorganisms, or, from a biochemical perspective, cellulose, lignin, sugars, fats, and proteins. Plants or plantbased materials that are not used for food or feed, and are specifically called lignocellulosic biomass. The chemical composition of biomass carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen along with nitrogen and alkali atoms, heavy metals and alkaline earth. The first, traditional, model involves the burning of relatively large pieces of wood, sometimes split known as. When produced by sustainable means, biomass emits roughly the same amount of carbon during conver sion. Michael hgoan biomass is a term in ecology for the mass of living organisms in a given ecosystem biomass can refer to the living stock of species in a given habitat, but can also refer to a harvested subset. Biomass definition and meaning collins english dictionary. Electric utilities use almost 11 percent of biomass for power generation. By definition, woody biomass is unsuitable for lumber. Why forest biomass removal should be specified as a forest practice. Forest biomass consider rule making to include forest biomass removal in the forest practice definition in wac 22216010. Transportation is the next biggest user of biomass. They can compare biomass to productivity and see how energy is transferred between different. This means that the share of urban energy use in the global energy mix is.
If you have a fireplace, you already are participating in the use of biomass as the wood you burn in it is a. Combustible gas called producer gas produced from biomass through a high temperature thermochemical process. The biomass is a biomass residue2 and the use of that biomass residue in the project activity does not involve a decrease of carbon pools, in particular dead wood, litter or soil or ganic carbon, on the land areas where the biomass residues are originating from. Biofuel is advocated as a costeffective and environmentally benign alternative to petroleum and other fossil fuels. Plants absorb the suns energy in a process called photosynthesis. The organic waste is decomposed by bacteria in biogas digesters to emit biogas which is essentially a mixture of methane and carbon dioxide in ecology, biomass means the accumulation of. Parties complying with alternative renewable biomass tracking requirements are still subject to tracking requirements.
Involves burning biomass without sufficient air for full combustion, but with enough ai r to convert the solid biomass into a gaseous fuel. Some utilities and power generating companies with coal power plants have found that replacing some coal with biomass is. Biomass, the weight or total quantity of living organisms of one animal or plant species species biomass or of all the species in a community community biomass, commonly referred to a unit area or volume of habitat. Biomass is any organic material that has stored sunlight in the form of chemical energy, such as plants, agricultural crops or residues, municipal wastes, and algae. Biomass is plant or animal material used for energy production electricity or heat, or in various industrial processes as raw substance for a range of products. Biomass is organic material that comes from plants and animals, and it is a renewable source of energy. Woody biomass in tree form comes from trees that are too small to make standard lumber. Biomass is a renewable energy source because its supplies are not limited. Comparison of definitions in legislation through the 111 th congress legislation to expand the eisa definition to include biomass from federal lands to better meet the biofuels usage mandate for the renewable fuel standard.
Introduction the inefficiency of handling and transporting. Biomass energy definition biomass is an industry term for getting energy by burning organic material that comes from plants and animals. Michael hgoan biomass is a term in ecology for the mass of living organisms in a given ecosystem. Learn more about the types and manufacture of biofuels as well as their economic and environmental considerations. Comparison of definitions in legislation congressional research service 1 introduction the potential for biomass to meet u. Organic waste such as dead plant and animal material, animal dung and kitchen waste can be converted into gaseous fuel called biogas. Because the definition of biomass is so broad, fuels that can be considered biomass include a wide variety of items and researchers. Biomass definition, the amount of living matter in a given habitat, expressed either as the weight of organisms per unit area or as the volume of organisms per unit volume of habitat. The significance of liquid fuel production from woody.
Integrated biorefineries support economic growth a biorefinery is a facility that combines biomass conversion processes and equipment to produce fuels, power, and valueadded chemicals from biomass. Biomass includes both the above and belowground tissues of plants, for example, leaves, twigs, branches, boles, as well as roots of trees and rhizomes of. Biomass types, uses, merits and demerits of biomass. In the context of this document, biomass conversion refers to the process of converting biomass into energy that will in turn be used to generate electricity andor heat.
Implementation framework is a product of interagency collaboration under the biomass research and development board and does not establish any new or explicitly reflect united states government policy. Overview of biomass removal activities in washington. It is a form of renewable energy that is derived from recently living organic materials known as biomass, which can be used to produce transportation fuels, heat, electricity, and products. Biomass can refer to species biomass, which is the mass of one or more species, or to community biomass, which is the mass of all species in the community. When biomass is burned, the chemical energy in biomass is released as heat. Introduction to biofuel university of california, berkeley. Detail on biomass pioneer valley planning commission. Doe is focusing on new and better ways to make liquid transportation fuels or biofuels, like ethanol, biodiesel, and renewable gasoline. Biomass is just organic matter think, stuff thats made in nature like wood pellets, grass clippings and even dung. Biomass commonly refers to plant matter grown or harvested for. We can always grow trees and crops, and waste will always exist. Pdf this chapter presents a broad overview of biomass and bioenergy, the potential environmental, economic and sustainability benefits to be derived. Biomass simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The biomass is the mass of living biological organisms in a given area or ecosystem at a given time.
Potential biomass products potential biomass products biomass syngas hydrogen pyrolysis oil whole or fractionated hydrothermal treatment oils biomass solid ch 1. A general term for energy obtained from a sustainablerenewable energy sourcee. Biomass tracking for renewable fuel standard program. This utilization results in the production of a full range of wood products, including timber, engineered lumber, paper and pulp, furniture and valueadded commodities, as well as bioenergy andor biobased products such as plastics. Biomass definition edge of lowland tropical forest biomass at nim li punit, belize. Woody biomass in tree form cannot be used to make lumber, if it could it would be classified as timber and not woody biomass. Biomass energy definition of biomass energy by medical. Biomass meaning in the cambridge english dictionary. Biomass definition is the amount of living matter as in a unit area or volume of habitat.
The mass can be expressed as the average mass per unit area, or as the total mass in the. Japans biomass has the potential to meet a part its primary energy needs. Biopower after hydropower, biomass is this countrys secondleading resource of renewable energy, accounting for more than 7,000 mw of installed capacity. On a small scale there is most likely a net loss of energy as a lot of energy must be used for growing the plant mass. This report is not a policy or budget document, and it does not. Biomass definition in the cambridge english dictionary. An introduction to biomass thermochemical conversion. Woody biomass can be used for heat, power, and electricity generation. Biomass power is carbon neutral electricity generated from renewable organic waste that would otherwise be dumped in landfills, openly burned, or left as fodder for forest fires. The principal categories of biomass conversion technologies for power and heat production are. Woody biomass utilization wbu is defined as the harvest, sale, offer, trade, andor use of woody biomass. Crops, like sugarcane and corn, can also be used to create biofuels.
We use four types of biomass todaywood and agricultural products,solid waste, land. Information and translations of biomass in the most comprehensive dictionary definitions resource on the web. Pdf biomass is a renewable energy source with an enormous potential to generate heat, power, and biofuels. As biomass is a natural material, many highly efficient biochemical processes have developed in nature to break down the molecules of which biomass is composed, and many of these biochemical conversion processes can be harnessed. For example, rfs regulations require these parties to keep records demonstrating that feedstocks used to produce ringenerating renewable fuels meet the definition of renewable biomass as defined in 80. Biomass is an important piece of information that ecologists use to better understand ecosystems. The weight or quantity of organisms in an area at a given moment is the standing crop. Pdf this chapter presents a broad overview of biomass and bioenergy, the potential environmental, economic and sustainability benefits to. And because plant matter can be regrown, its a renewable source of energy. Types of biomass we use several types of biomass today, including wood, agricultural products, solid waste, landfill gas and biogas, and biofuels. However, with the emergence of global warming as a serious concern in.
We use several types of biomass today, including wood, agricultural products, solid waste, landfill gas and biogas, and biofuels. We use four types of biomass todaywood and agricultural products,solid waste, landfill gas and biogas, and alcohol fuels like ethanol or biodiesel. When burned, the energy in biomass is released as heat. Biomass comes from agricultural crops and waste, sewage, municipal solid waste, animal residues, such as manure and liquid manure, industrial residues and forestry crops, like poplars and wood residues. Bioenergy is one of many diverse resources available to help meet our demand for energy.
260 232 450 237 48 1365 1283 1106 960 1197 577 689 362 253 1310 1016 924 937 1128 565 1044 383 1625 1118 1223 431 891 806 1181 712 584 585 826 452 1147 834 31 610 88 441 1486 746 875