 |
What is biomass power? |
 |
 |
Biomass power is carbon neutral electricity generated from biomass fuels. Biomass material consists of organic matter available on a recurring or renewable basis, such as forestry trimmings, wood processing residue, urban wood waste and other wood waste. Biomass is one of the largest domestic sources of renewable electric generation in the United States, providing more than 10,000 MW of reliable, economical and environmentally sustainable power. |
|
|
Is biomass power considered renewable energy? |
|
|
Biomass energy is a renewable energy source since the energy contained in organic materials comes from the sun. Through photosynthesis, chlorophyll in plants captures the sun’s energy by converting carbon dioxide from the air and water from the ground into carbohydrates and complex compounds made of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. When these carbohydrates are burned, they turn back into carbon dioxide and water and release the sun’s energy they contain. |
|
|
How is biomass energy carbon neutral? |
|
|
Unlike fossil fuels, which remove carbon from geologic storage, biomass energy does not add new carbon to the active carbon cycle. In the absence of a biomass facility, a large portion of biomass energy would be left to decompose naturally, be open-burned or land filled. This would release carbon in the form of carbon dioxide and methane, which is 20 to 25 times more potent as a greenhouse-gas than carbon dioxide. |
|
|
What are the social benefits of biomass power generation? |
|
|
Biomass power generates electricity that is:
- reliable,
- domestically produced,
- economically competitive and
- environmentally sustainable.
Since biomass energy uses domestically-produced fuels, biomass power:
- greatly reduces our dependence on foreign energy sources,
- increases our national security and
- provides greater fuel diversity.
|
|
|
What are the economic benefits of biomass power generation? |
|
|
Biomass projects benefit the regions where they are built in several ways.
- Biomass plants provide high paying jobs during construction and operation.
- Facilities increase local tax revenues and in many cases are the single largest taxpayers in their areas.
- Fuels used mostly come from an area within 75 miles of plant sites, generating income for local forestry farmers.
|
|
|
What are the environmental benefits of biomass power generation? |
|
|
Biomass energy facilities provide a range of environmental benefits, including cleaner air and climate change benefits.
Biomass plants also produce far less particulate matter than open burning of wood wastes, the way most wood waste is currently eliminated. Learn more about the environmental benefits of biomass power.
|
|
|
What are the climate change benefits of biomass power generation? |
|
|
Unlike energy derived from fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas, biomass energy does not contribute to climate change. The carbon, which is stored in biomass material as it grows, is already part of the atmosphere. Biomass energy does not add new carbon to the active carbon cycle, whereas fossil fuels remove carbon from geologic storage.
Carbon emissions from biomass facilities would have been released back into the atmosphere through natural decay or disposal through open-burning. The advanced emissions controls on a biomass energy facility significantly reduce the amount of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere along with other emissions such as particulate matter. Learn more about the climate change benefits of biomass power.
|
|
|
How does biomass fueled power compare to fossil fuel forms of power generation? |
|
|
Unlike fossil fuels, which take millions of years to replace, biomass is a renewable and sustainable form of energy. In addition, biomass is a zero net carbon dioxide emission fuel source. |
|
|
How does biomass compare to other renewable energy sources? |
|
|
Biomass plants operate in a reliable and consistent manner providing crucial baseload power generation. Baseload power is the amount of power a utility needs to meet minimum customer demands. Other forms of renewable energy such as wind, solar and tidal are intermittent and cannot provide electrical power on a steady and consistent basis.
|
|
|
Is the biomass fuel used in electric power generation also used for other purposes? |
|
|
Most biomass fuel used in electric power generation is waste biomass, which would have otherwise been left in fields and forest, transported to landfills or burned in open piles. Using waste biomass for power production is an environmentally friendly way to dispose of the waste because it is burned in a controlled environment where emissions can be monitored and controlled.
This waste would otherwise be left in the forest, releasing more potent greenhouse gases such as methane as it decomposes, occupy space in shrinking landfill space or be disposed of in open burning piles releasing particulate matter into the air.
|
|
