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Renewable Energy Education: Biomass

Biomass, such as agricultural products, vegetation, trash, or animal waste, can be converted to electricity and other fuel supplies. Biomass can be used to heat buildings, such as with a wood burning stove, and oils and alcohols can be extracted to power engines in cars and trucks. Biomass can also be used to generate electricity.

General information about biomass:

US DOE Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Specific Biomass Technologies:

Landfill Gas 

Most trash that is not recycled is sent to a landfill. As the trash decays, it gives off methane. The gas that is captured from landfills contains methane, water vapor, and smaller amounts of other gases. Landfill gas can be safely incinerated to produce heat to generate electricity.

While burning landfill gas creates carbon dioxide, a contributor to global warming, the methane itself is a far worse contributor to global warming. So it is much better to capture the landfill gas, burn it, and use the energy than to let it simply escape into the air or to flare it in an open burn.

Landfill gas is considered to be a renewable energy source because we are able to continue to produce large amounts of trash.

General Information: 

Technical Issues:

The following is information on technical issues related to designing and installing landfill gas systems.

Electricity Generation 

Landfill Siting Considerations

Economic Issues: 

The following is information on economic issues related to designing and installing landfill gas systems.

Cost and Savings

Finance 

Environmental Issues: 

For information on environmental issues related to designing and installing landfill gas systems, visit Power Scorecard.

Anaerobic Digestion

Anaerobic digestion is a process that converts organic waste, such as manure, agricultural waste and food processing waste into methane gas. The resulting gas can be used to power an electricity generator or for other purposes. 

The following is information on issues related to designing and installing anaerobic digestion systems.

Technical Issues

Economic Issues

Waste Wood

Waste wood from timber production can be burned for heat or to generate electricity. To learn more about obtaining energy from waste wood, visit these sites:

Energy Crops

Energy crops are crops used primarily as energy sources, rather than being grown for food or other purposes. The same crop may also be used for food, lumber, or paper, but growing methods may differ when the primary goal is energy. Examples include certain trees and crops used to make vegetable oils and ethanol. The products of energy crops are sometimes mixed with the products of other biomass sources.

While burning the products of energy crops creates carbon dioxide, the crops remove carbon dioxide as they grow, reducing the overall impact on the environment. Fuel for cars and trucks has been a major goal in the development of energy crops. For more information on energy crops, including wood, visit these sites: