What’s That Wednesday – Biomass

Analysis by Abby Gerry

Renewable energy has many sources, including biomass, hydropower, wind, and solar power. Today’s ‘What’s That Wednesday’ will cover what biomass is and how the various materials that compose biomass can also be used as renewable energy sources. Let’s get into the nature of biomass and its utilization in energy production.

What is Biomass?

Biomass, a form of renewable energy, consists of organic materials derived from animals and plants, including agricultural crops, crop residues, municipal solid waste, wood, and animal waste. It serves as a renewable source of energy through processes such as gasification, combustion, and fermentation. Its renewability stems from the ability to regrow plants, making biomass a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels for producing heat, electricity, and biofuels. The key characteristic of biomass is that it is derived from living or recently living organisms, making it a renewable resource, unlike finite fossil fuels.

The energy from biomass is harnessed through the carbon cycle. Plants absorb carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere during photosynthesis, a process that also produces oxygen. When biomass is burned or biodegraded, CO2 is released back into the atmosphere, where it can be reabsorbed by plants. This cycle can theoretically balance out the carbon emissions, provided new plants continue to grow in place of those used for biomass energy.

How is biomass used?  

Biomass serves many functions in renewable energy, particularly within the industrial and fuel sectors. In industrial applications, biomass is used to provide heat or steam for processes such as manufacturing and food processing. In the fuel industry, biomass transforms into a sustainable energy source that avoids carbon emissions. It can be converted into liquid biofuels like ethanol and biodiesel, serving as alternatives to gasoline and diesel in vehicles.

Another important use of biomass is in biogas production. Organic waste materials are fermented in anaerobic digesters to produce biogas, which can be utilized for heat, electricity generation, or as vehicle fuel.

Additionally, biomass contributes to carbon sequestration, where carbon dioxide is stored in carbon pools. By managing biomass sustainably, plants absorb carbon dioxide during growth, helping to mitigate emissions from fossil fuels. This process is crucial in reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide levels.

How does biomass factor into energy?

Biomass is used as an energy source otherwise known as feedstocks, and some biomass, such as plant material, derives its energy from the sun. Through photosynthesis, plants gather energy from the sun, converting carbon dioxide and water into nutrients. The energy from these organisms is transformed into usable energy. In the fuel and oil industry, biomass is valuable when processed into biofuel. In addition to the benefits of transforming biomass into biofuels, biomass offers a variety of benefits across different sectors.

As a sustainable and organic substance, biomass energy significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Burning biomass releases essentially the same amount of carbon dioxide as burning fossil fuels, but it burns carbon dioxide that is balanced by the carbon dioxide captured during its growth, rather than releasing fossilized carbon. This makes biomass one of the most promising renewable energy sources.

Biomass is making headway within the fuel and oil industry, helping create sustainable solutions like ethanol and biodiesel. Its use helps reduce carbon emissions as industries increasingly adopt biomass. While the U.S. economy still heavily relies on fossil fuels across various industries, reducing carbon emissions overall remains a gradual process. One of the United States main focus areas to decrease carbon emissions is biofuels like ethanol and biodiesel. Biomass continues to be a promising renewable energy source for transportation and is paving the way for sustainable alternatives. Up until the mid 1800’s, biomass was the primary driver of the nation’s yearly energy consumption. Nearly 5% of the main energy source used in the US during 2022 was generated by biomass.

The nation’s transportation sector has also been attributed to having the second-highest percentage share and amount of biomass consumption in 2022. Additionally, in 2022, U.S. total energy biomass exports exceeded all energy biomass imports. Researchers are continuously working to improve biomass conversion methods and develop new ways to convert biomass to renewable energy.

As agricultural technology progresses, scientists are developing the resources necessary to utilize residues such as corn stover and wheat straw as biomass sources. With the growth of more sustainable feedstocks, the entire biomass cycle will become sustainable. Biomass paves the way for renewable energy that is both sustainable and useful.