BIOMASS Leann Baer Brooke Edwards Nisarg Joshi Josh Olzinski

OBJECTIVES Learn about the pros and cons of biomass energy and it sustainability Learn about the production and implementation of biomass energy Learn about technical aspects of biomass and how they can be overcome Learn about the regulations impacting biomass use Develop an educated opinion about the sustainability of biomass as an alternative energy

OVERVIEW Biomass is a renewable energy source that is derived from living or recently living organisms. Biomass includes biological material, not organic material like coal. Energy derived from biomass is mostly used to generate electricity or to produce heat. Thermal energy is extracted by means of combustion, torrefaction, pyrolysis, and gasification. Biomass can be chemically and biochemically treated to convert it to a energy-rich fuel.

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Potential Energy Source? California produces more than 60 million bone dry tons of biomass each year. 5 million bone dry tons are now burned to make electricity If it were all used, the 60 million tons could make close to 2,000 megawatts of electricity Would give enough energy to power 2 million homes About 6% of Canada’s energy needs are met by biomass, but that could be greatly increased

Potential Energy Source? In the United States, we already get 45 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity from biomass, about 1.2 percent of our nation's total electric sales Estimates of the ultimate potential for biomass energy vary, depending on agricultural forecasts, waste reduction by industry, and paper recycling The Department of Energy believes that we could produce four percent of our transportation fuels from biomass by 2010, and as much as 20 percent by 2030 For electricity, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) estimates that energy crops and crop residues alone could supply as much as much as 14 percent of our power needs.

Projected Nonhydroelectric Renewable Electricity Energy Generation by Energy Source, 2010 and 2020 (billion KWH) Source: DOE Energy Information Administration

DISAGREEMENTS Biomass has a smaller energy content for its bulk than fossil fuels Costs of labor, transportation, and storage would then be higher

ENVIRONMENTAL ADVANTAGES Renewable resource Reduces landfills Protects clean water supplies Reduces acid rain and smog Reduces greenhouse gases Carbon dioxide Methane

BIOMASS AND CARBON EMMISIONS Biomass emits carbon dioxide when it naturally decays and when it is used as an energy source Living biomass in plants and trees absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through photosynthesis Biomass causes a closed cycle with no net emissions of greenhouse gases

GEOGRAPHIC AREAS Comes from the forest Can also come from plant and animal waste Wood and waste can be found virtually anywhere Transportation costs

ENHANCEMENT Wood is the largest resource Expand by using other plants, residues, or waste Finding different materials to use as fuel

DEVELOPMENT Many areas could be used Potentially supply more than 20% of US energy supply Bioenergy crops will be More important in future Come closer to area that Need energy

TECHNICAL IMPEDIMENTS Trees and other biomass is hard to gather There is a low output of 34% energy gain Development of cheapo and reliable combustion techniques that will not release pollutants http://ec.europa.eu/research/energy/nn/nn_rt/nn_rt_bm/article_1112_en.htm

TECHNICAL IMPEDIMENTS Development of gasification techniques that incorporate hydrogen to create syngas Biomass contains less energy per pound than fossil fuels Cost-inefficient to transport more than 50 miles before it is converted to fuel http://ec.europa.eu/research/energy/nn/nn_rt/nn_rt_bm/article_1112_en.htm

SOLUTION The solution is to have decentralized processing plants This means less transport of biomass This is more cost-efficient More reliable, regular, and better quality Less competition between companies http://www.desipower.com/why/advntg_biomass.htm

ENVIRONMENTAL DISADVANTAGES Crop and forest residues often contain high concentrations of important nutrients If the residue is harvested as energy, the nutrients can be lost to the surrounding environment. Other synthetic chemical nutrients or fertilizers can later be added More plants and trees must be planted, because they will be used in a higher quantity

LAWS AND REGULATIONS A number of federal laws and regulation apply to biomass energy deployment activities. For the most part, state laws and regulations do not apply to biomass energy development on tribal lands. Federal legal requirements apply to specific activities associated with biomass energy development. The impacts of a specific project will be determined by factors such as the type and size of the biomass facility, the amount of land disturbed by construction activities, the amount of land in use by facilities long term, the location of the site with respect to other resources.

GOVERNMENTAL INITIATIVE California produces more than 60 million bone dry tons of biomass each year. Of this total, five million bone dry tons is now burned to make electricity. Many states promote biomass if cost, location and resources are to their benefit

SUSTAINIBILITY Biomass is sustainable but there is an expense in producing and converting biomass into fuels and electricity. Collecting biomass turned out to be very different than harvesting, as loggers gained more experience the process became much more efficient. While biomass is one of the best forms of renewable energy, it is not a great fuel.

SUSTAINIBILITY Removing too much biomass can use up nutrients from the soil and possibly increase erosion. Biomass supplies about 15 times as much energy then solar and wind in the United States, and has the potential to supply much more.

CONCLUSION Biomass is a potential alternative to fossil fuels but it is not very viable. There are many problems in the development and transportation of it and carbon is a byproduct of processing of biomass, just like it is a byproduct of fossil fuels. There are better alternative energies.

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