A Glimpse on Biomass Energy-biomass energy is known as the energy which is contained inside animals and plants. This can include organic matter of all kinds, which include animals, plants, or waste products which are generated by organic sources. These types of energy sources are known as biofuels and particularly include wood chips, manure, rotted trees, sewage, tree components, and mulch. Chlorophyll that is present in plants absorbs carbon dioxide which is present in the atmosphere and the waste generated from the ground through the process of photosynthesis. The same amount of energy is passed to animals when they consume them. it is thus considered to be as a form of renewable source of energy since carbon dioxide and water contained in plants as well as animals are given off back in to the earth atmosphere when they are burnt and we therefore can grow more plants as well as crops in order to create biomass energy.
What Advantages of Biomass Energy Humans Get
In various ways, biomass is without a doubt a new source of power. While wood has always been included to serve as a source of fuel for cars and ovens and also conventional methods of heating, biomass energy advancements are actually a few steps beyond that. Now these types of biomass fuel products are widely harvested and produced in large amount and used in just everything, which ranges from engines to power plants. So, let us have a look at what advantages of biomass energy we can obtain.
First, it has something to do with the fact that is does not give off harmful emissions. For the most part, biomass energy produces no harmful carbon dioxide emissions. A lot of sources of energy which are used these days struggle to control their carbon greenhouse gases, which may potentially warm the planet. It is entirely natural, has no such side impacts of carbon dioxide in its use.
Also, we have to bear in mind that biomass energy is a clean source of energy. Due to its relatively clean use, biomass energy may receive tax credit form the United States government, when it is used in various commercial business such as airlines. This is indeed good for our environment and beneficial for business. It does release carbon dioxide but captures carbon dioxide for its own growth. In fact, carbon dioxide released by fossil fuels are widely released into atmosphere and are proven hazardous to our environment.
The other benefit is pertinent to the fact that biomass energy is renewable and it is abundant. Biomass products are available in various forms, in great amount. As they come from the living sources, and the life is cylical, these kinds of products potentially will never run out, so long as there is living thin on earth and there is somebody there working on projects to turn that living things materials and waste products into desired form of energy. In the United Kingdom, biomass fuels are made from recycled chicken droppings. In Russia and the United States, there are plentiful forests for lumber to be used in the production of biomass energy.
We should also consider the fact that biomass energy helps us to bring down our dependence on fossil fuels. It has developed as the alternative source of fuel for many house owners and have assisted them to decrease their dependency on fossil fuels. In addition to the reduced dependence on fossil fuels, biomass energy can be very helpful to bring down landfills, which is great potential to keep the environment clean in long term. It can take waste which is harmful to the environment and turn into something which is useful. For example, garbage as landfill can at least be burnt partially to create useable biomass energy.
Biomass energy can be also used to create various products. This type of energy is so versatile, since different forms of organic matter can be included to create various products, such as ethanol and some other similar fuels. These fuels can be made from corn and other corps. With so many living things on the planet, there appears to be no limit to how many ways it can be found and then used in a long term
The Downsides of Biomass Energy
Besides the aforementioned advantages, there are also some disadvantages to it. Let us see below some of its shortcoming.
First, when it comes to mass production, the cost of generating biomass energy is rather expensive. Living things are expensive to take care for, house, and feed, and all of that has to be taken into account when trying to use waste products from animals and plants for fuels. Surprisingly, biomass is also found harmful to environment. Using human and animal waste to power engines may decrease the carbon dioxide emissions, yet it will increase methane gases, which are harmful to the earth’s ozone layer. So we are no better environmentally for using one type of energy or the other. And speaking of the waste products, the smell from biomass fuel is annoying. While it is not physically harmful, it is surely unpleasant. Next, biomass energy consumes more fuel. Using trees as well as tree products to power machine is inefficient as well. not only does it take a lot more amount of fuel to do the same job as using conventional fuels, yet it also creates environmental issues of its own. The last thing to note is that it needs more land. The combustion of biomass needs some land where they can easily be burnt. As, it generates gases like methane in atmosphere. Thus, it can be generated in those areas which are far from residential houses. In order to amass sufficient lumber to power a nation full of cars or even power plant, companies need to have clear considerable forest area. This will lead to major topological changes
All in all, these are all the things which have to be well thought of and weighed when deciding on whether biomass energy is feasible and viable alternative to energy sources.