Energa de la biomasa

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La biomasa es un nombre de fantasa para el material de las plantas y los
animales. Algunos tipos de biomasa pueden ser quemados para producir
energa. Un ejemplo comn es la madera.

La biomasa contiene energa almacenada. Eso es porque las plantas

absorben la energa del sol a travs del proceso de la fotosntesis. Cuando se
quema biomasa, esta energa almacenada se libera en forma de calor.

Quemar biomasa libera dixido de carbono. Sin embargo, las plantas

tambin toman dixido de carbono de la atmsfera y lo utilizan para hacer
crecer sus hojas, flores, ramas, y tallos. Ese mismo el dixido de carbono se
devuelve al aire cuando se queman las plantas.

Muchos tipos diferentes de biomasa, tales como astillas de madera, maz, y

algunos tipos de basura, se utilizan para producir electricidad. Algunos tipos
de biomasa pueden convertirse en combustibles lquidos llamados
biocombustibles que pueden alimentar coches, camiones y tractores.
Alimentos sobrantes como los aceites vegetales y grasas animales pueden
crear biodiesel, mientras que el maz, la caa de azcar y otras plantas
pueden fermentarse para producir etanol.

Energa de los rboles. Las personas pueden obtener energa mediante la

quema de la madera de desecho que sobra despus de los rboles se han
recortado. Es una forma eficiente de utilizar un recurso que de otro modo
podran quedar tirado.
Volviendo la basura en electricidad. Conversin de residuos en energa
centrales elctricas queman basura para producir electricidad. Generan
electricidad suficiente para abastecer 1,3 millones de hogares
estadounidenses.

Biomass 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.

Energy from trees. People can get energy by burning the scrap wood that's left
over after trees have been trimmed. It's an efficient way to use a resource that might
otherwise get thrown away.
Turning trash into electricity. Wastetoenergy power plants burn trash to
produce electricity. They generate enough electricity to supply 1.3 million U.S. homes.

Biomass

How does biomass produce electricity?

"In a process called photosynthesis, plants capture sunlight

and transform it into chemical energy. This energy may then
be converted into electricity, heat, or liquid fuels using a
number of different energy conversion processes. Two of
these processes are as follows: Solid biomass fuels are burned
in a boiler. The heat produced turns water to steam which is
then used to turn a turbine generator to produce electricity.
The second method involves gasifying the biomass and then
burning it. The organic resources that are used to produce
energy using these processes are collectively called biomass"
(Center for Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technology).
This animation illustrates one way that biomass can be
burned and then used.

What does biomass consist of?

Biomass is a versatile energy source. Organic matter that is

used as a source of biomass energy includes trees, timber
waste, wood chips, corn, rice hulls, peanut shells, sugar cane,
grass clippings, leaves, manure, municipal solid waste, etc.
This organic matter can be burned directly. Also, these various
materials, once they ferment, produce gases such as
methanol or ethanol that can be used to fuel a fire.

(Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Network)

(Energy Information Administration)

Biomass Use in Ohio

An example of the use of biomass here in Ohio can be seen at

Sauder Woodworking located in Archbold. Seven years ago,
this company didn't know what to do with the wood waste
they produced, so they decided to burn it to yield electricity.
By doing this, Sauder can then sell the electricity to Toledo
Edison and buy back some of the electricity at a reduced rate
(Great Lakes Casebook, 7).

A
Great
Lakes
Casebook,
1995,
pg.
7
This is a map of biomass energy facilities in the seven Great
Lakes states.

Little Known Facts

"U.S. utilities use biomass to generate more than 7,500

megawatts of electricity--enough power to meet the energy
needs of several million households. Today, various forms of
biomass energy account for nearly 4 percent of all energy
consumed in the U.S. and 45 percent of renewable energy
used in the U.S. By 2010, biomass power could provide an
additional 3000 megawatts of electric capacity in the U.S.,
increasing the total contribution of this sustainable energy
supply to 10,000 megawatts of capacity. Worldwide, biomass
is the fourth largest energy resource after coal, oil and natural
gas (National Renewable Energy Laboratory)."

Does burning biomass add CO2 (a greenhouse gas) to the

environment?

Yes, but burning new biomass contributes no net carbon

dioxide to the atmosphere because if we replant harvested
biomass, carbon dioxide is reabsorbed by the growing plants.

(Energy Information Administration)

Environmental Impact

A few potential problems with biomass are global warming (if

new biomass isn't planted at the same rate biomass is
burned), air pollution, and problems related to agriculture and
forestry. Go to this site to read about some of the negative
environmental effects of burning biomass. This site explains
how burning biomass for energy could potentially hurt the
environment. Go To This Site

Study will take critical look at biomass and bioenergy

"The US Department of Energy is commissioning a study to

analyze the impact of biomass and bioenergy in the future
energy mix and the barriers that could stand in its way. The
Arthur D. Little Inc (Cambridge, MA, USA) study will take a
critical look at the economic impacts of expanded biomass
production and bioenergy use. It will also look at the
environmental impact of reducing greenhouse gas emissions,
the policy changes required to meet the President's goal of
tripling America's use of biomass by 2010 and the potential
barriers to achieving these objectives. The $528,000 one-year
study will examine areas such as the availability of biomass
resources; their current uses; research and development
progress and opportunities; current biomass market
conditions;
projected
market
trends; economic
and

environmental costs of using biomass; and the potential

benefits of developing bioenergy and biobased product
industries (The International Renewable Energy Magazine)."