Biomass

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Sustainable Growth

Benefits of biomass Concerns about biomass
  • Could be used as a substitute for coal
  • Local, sustainable and renewable fuel source
  • Reduces material going to landfills
  • Less expensive than other renewable fuel sources
  • Potentially less expensive than other renewable fuel sources
  • Cannot replace coal entirely
  • Limited scale
  • Emissions other than GHGs
  • Technology is still in development
  • Cost of extraction and transportation

Biomass produces energy from organic materials, including woody plant matter, agricultural residues, urban and industrial organic wastes, and energy crops (i.e. agricultural crops specifically grown for energy purposes). Biomass is of particular interest because it is a renewable, sustainable fuel source.

Direct combustion of biomass is the primary technology used today for electricity generation. Biomass is burned in a boiler to produce steam from water. The steam is then fed through a turbine generator set, which results in the production of electricity.