Biomass and It’s Uses in

Today’s WorldBy: Courtney Shows and Maya McKane

What is Biomass?Biomass is anything that contains carbon, which

meansanything that is or was once alive. Things like wood,

garbage, and soil all contain carbon, and are therefore biomass. Even you can be biomass, but hopefully no one will be using you as a source of

energy.

When and Where Was

Biomass Discovered?Biomass was discovered

when and where humans discovered fire. Because fire is the breaking apart of once living things to create energy, it is the oldest and most common form of biomass energy.

Who Discovered Biomass?As we said before, biomass was discovered a very long time ago, but it was only about 50 years ago that scientists started to find ways to use it for things other than heat and cooking. Now it makes up about 4% of the energy used in industry in the US.

How was Biomass Developed?

Because biomass is just living or once living things it was not really developed by anyone. The technology used to harness the energy was developed from small camp fires, to huge power plants that use the energy given off by burning biomass to create electricity and heat.

Diagram of Biomass

Step OneSomething alive dies.

Step TwoThe dead thing gets burned.

Step ThreeThe thing getting burned releases energy as heat. Something burned releases carbon dioxide, and so CO2 is released.

Step FourLiving things reabsorb the CO2 and they grow big and tall, ready to be used to make a new round of biomass energy.

Current Uses of Biomass

1. Heat: fire still heats most homes in developing countries.

2. Electricity: the energy from burning biomass is converted to electricity, and powers 4% of America.

3. Refined to make fuel: ethanol is made from corn, which is biomass.

Where is Biomass Currently Being Used?

Biomass is used all over the world. Wherever fire, ethanol, or electricity is used, biomass is being used.

What are Future Plans for Biomass

The future plans for biomass are for it to eventually take the place of fossil fuels. Because it is readily available, and renewable as long as there’s life, it is much better. It also produces much less green house gases and harmful emissions.

Benefit OneBiomass is completely

renewable. As long as the sun shines, and the earth turns, biomass will be a feasible energy source.

Benefit TwoIt recycles itself.

When living things die, they fertilize the soil allowing more things to grow. Also because the ashes produced by the biomass energy collecting process are very fertile, many people can use them as fertilizer.

Benefit ThreeIts effect on the environment is very minimal.

Benefit FourIt removes dead

organisms from the environment. Any leftover crops or trees ore trash can be used instead of cluttering up useful space.

Benefit FiveIt would be a huge boost for

the rural economy. Seventeen hundred thousand jobs would be created in the US alone if we invested seriously in biomass. Many failing farmers would get the extra money they need to keep their livelihood, simply by selling leftover waste to biomass factories.

Drawback One Large amounts of

land or water may be needed, because these things are needed to create an efficient factory.

Drawback TwoThough less than fossil fuels, some greenhouse

gasses are emitted by biomass. Mostly is it carbon dioxide, but some other more toxic ones are emitted in very small quantities.

Drawback ThreeBiomass crops are

not available all year round. Things like corn, wheat, and barley are not always in season, and some trees take a long time to grow enough to be harvested.

Drawback FourThe amount of

money and time it takes to cultivate the kinds of things needed to use biomass is not always cheap and easy. Some people think that it is not worth it.

Research Sources1. http://www.puco.ohio.gov/Puco/IndustryTopics/Topic.cfm?id=44002. http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/energy.cfm?page=biomass_home-basics3. http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/technology_and_impacts/energy_t

echnologies/how-biomass-energy-works.html

4. http://www.nrel.gov/learning/re_biomass.html5. http://www.biomasscenter.org/6. http://www.techstore.ie/Renewable-Energy/Biomass-Energy/Biomass-En

ergy-Pros-and-Cons.htm

7. http://www.alternate-energy-sources.com/advantage-of-biomass-energy.html

Picture Sources1. http

://mobile.engadget.com/2007/04/15/cellphones-are-dangerous-not-dangerous-crop-killing-edition/

2. http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/03/epa-wont-regulate-greenhouse-gases-2011.php

3. http://www.roundhill-farm.co.uk/photo_album.html4. http://www.vortexrecycling.com/images/No%20Landfill.jpg5. http://www.cap.nsw.edu.au/bb_site_intro/stage1_Modules/WWS-stage1/images/

sun.gif

6. http://dailyenergy.net/search/Biomass7. http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/B/AE_bioenergy.html8. http://inhabitat.com/2010/09/20/spain-announces-plans-for-countrys-largest-bio

mass-plant/