What is Biomass Essay

Submitted By awesomealan44
Words: 294
Pages: 2

What is Biomass
Biomass provides a surprisingly large amount of the world’s energy- 10% of total global primary energy consumption- but most of that is wood and charcoal gathered and used in the most primitive ways. Biomass is biological material derived from living, or recently living organisms. In the context of biomass for energy this is often used to mean plant based material, but biomass can equally apply to both animal and vegetable derived material. Biomass is carbon based and is composed of a mixture of organic molecules containing hydrogen, usually including atoms of oxygen, often nitrogen and also small quantities of other atoms, including alkali, alkaline earth and heavy metals. These metals are often found in functional molecules such as the porphyrins which include chlorophyll, which contains magnesium. The simplest and oldest way of generating electricity from biomass is to burn it. This is called direct combustion. Direct combustion systems burn biomass in boilers to produce high pressure steam. This steam turns a turbine connected to a generator. As the steam causes the turbine to rotate, the generator turns and electricity is produced. Most of the world’s biomass power plants use direct combustion.

Pros
Made locally with minimum cost

Renewable

Does not depend on Fossil Fuels

CO2 neutral

Promotes energy independence

Converts waste into fuel

Keeps Uk farming land cultivated

Offers hope of rual regeneration

Produces green