Biomass 101

Biomass is one of the largest domestic sources of renewable electricity in the United States. It provides more than 10,000 MW of power, which is:

• reliable
• economical and
• environmentally sustainable.

Biomass material consists of organic matter available on a recurring or renewable basis: forestry trimmings, wood processing residue, urban wood waste and other wood waste.

Biomass energy is a renewable energy source since the energy contained in organic materials comes from the sun. Through the process of 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.

Biomass power has many advantages compared with other forms of renewable energy and is an important component of our nation's energy strategy.

American Renewable's biomass energy facilities can utilize many different forms of biomass material, including:

• forestry products/residues (wood chips, slash and cull trees, pre-commercial thinnings)
• wood processing residue (round-offs, end cuts, saw dust, shavings, reject lumber)
• urban wood residue (wood and brush from clearing activities, tree trimmings from right-of-way maintenance)
• other wood waste (unusable wood pallets, storm/infested woody debris)
• agricultural residues (such as rice hulls)

Through the use of advanced combustion technology, biomass materials are burned in a fluidized-bed boiler under controlled, low emissions conditions to generate steam. This steam drives a turbine, which turns a generator that converts the power into electricity.