Biomass 101

Biomass is one of the largest domestic sources of renewable electricity generation in the United States, providing over 10,000 MW of reliable, economical, and environmentally sustainable power. Biomass material consists of organic matter available on a recurring or renewable basis, including trees, plants, and animal wastes.

Biomass energy is a renewable energy source since the energy contained in the 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, complex compounds composed 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.

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.