Renewable Energy
CONTENT
Contents
Page(s)
Introduction
3
Problem (s)
5
Solution (s)
5
Impact (s)
8
Conclusion
9
References
10
INTRODUCTION Biomass is a source of renewable energy. Biomass is a fancy name for material from plants and animals. Some kinds of biomass can be burned to produce energy. One common example is wood.
Biomass contains stored energy. That's because plants absorb energy from the sun through the process of photosynthesis. When biomass is burned, this stored energy is released as heat. Burning biomass releases carbon dioxide. However, plants also take carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and use it to grow their leaves, flowers, branches, and stems. That same carbon dioxide is returned to the air when the plants are burned. Many different kinds of biomass, such as wood chips, corn, and some types of garbage, are used to produce electricity. Some types of biomass can be converted into liquid fuels called biofuels that can power cars, trucks, and tractors. Leftover food products like vegetable oils and animal fats can create biodiesel, while corn, sugarcane, and other plants can be fermented to produce ethanol.
Categories of biomass materials Within this definition, biomass for energy can include a wide range of materials. The realities of the economics mean that high value material for which there is an alternative market, such as good quality, large timber, are very unlikely to become available for energy applications. However there are huge resources of residues, co-products and waste that exist in the UK which could potentially become available, in quantity, at relatively low cost or even negative cost where there is currently a requirement to pay for disposal.
There are five basic categories of material:
Virgin wood, from forestry, arboricultural activities or from wood processing
Energy crops: high yield crops grown specifically for energy applications
Agricultural residues: residues from agriculture
Contents
Page(s)
Introduction
3
Problem (s)
5
Solution (s)
5
Impact (s)
8
Conclusion
9
References
10
INTRODUCTION Biomass is a source of renewable energy. Biomass is a fancy name for material from plants and animals. Some kinds of biomass can be burned to produce energy. One common example is wood.
Biomass contains stored energy. That's because plants absorb energy from the sun through the process of photosynthesis. When biomass is burned, this stored energy is released as heat. Burning biomass releases carbon dioxide. However, plants also take carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and use it to grow their leaves, flowers, branches, and stems. That same carbon dioxide is returned to the air when the plants are burned. Many different kinds of biomass, such as wood chips, corn, and some types of garbage, are used to produce electricity. Some types of biomass can be converted into liquid fuels called biofuels that can power cars, trucks, and tractors. Leftover food products like vegetable oils and animal fats can create biodiesel, while corn, sugarcane, and other plants can be fermented to produce ethanol.
Categories of biomass materials Within this definition, biomass for energy can include a wide range of materials. The realities of the economics mean that high value material for which there is an alternative market, such as good quality, large timber, are very unlikely to become available for energy applications. However there are huge resources of residues, co-products and waste that exist in the UK which could potentially become available, in quantity, at relatively low cost or even negative cost where there is currently a requirement to pay for disposal.
There are five basic categories of material:
Virgin wood, from forestry, arboricultural activities or from wood processing
Energy crops: high yield crops grown specifically for energy applications
Agricultural residues: residues from agriculture