Biomass Energy Alex and Emily H.

History Was used ever since humans discovered fire Was used as primary source for heat and cooking until the industrial revolution, 1860’s

Primary Source Crop residues Energy plantations Animal and industrial waste Needed fields of plants and trees to maintain enough fuel to keep the plant running

Pro Converts waste produced naturally In theory, fuel source can never run out Available all over the world and forms from anything Can be converted into liquid gases

Cons Uses large areas of land Land use limits area Overuse can cause deforestation  Expensive to turn in to alcohols to make the electricity Creates as much carbon dioxide as burning fossils fuels

Environmental Effects If not burned properly, then big contributor to global warming and greenhouse gases Produces air pollution, and more environmental issues then any other form of producing electricity other then hydropower

Pollutants Carbon dioxide Carbon monoxide Hydrocarbons Oxygenated organics Free radicals and chlorinated organics

Geographic Distribution Anywhere there is plant life of animals are One third of the worlds population burns wood and other organic material.

Cost to Maintain Maryland based 60 megawatt power plant cost approximately $250,000,000 to build Annual biomass cost: $1,303,200

How It works Needs the biomass form to work Many different types of ways to convert to power Most common is similar to a coal-burning power plant First, gets turned into gases and it sent through filter Second, burned in boilers to create heat Next, heat turns water into steam Then, steam turns turbine connected to generator Finally, generator produces electricity and then is sent to homes and businesses

Cycle

How much is there? Enough to replace all power created from nuclear energy, or replace half of nations gasoline use We only use 7% each year to generate electricity

Resource Question #1 What are the different ways to convert to electricity? Thermal conversion Chemical conversion Biochemical conversion

Resource Question #2 How much profit do biomass plants earn each year? $5,000,000-$15,000,000 per year

Work cited http://www.zilkha.com/wp3/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Combined.jpg http://www.solar-power-made-affordable.com/biomass-energy-facts.html http://library.thinkquest.org/20331/types/biomass/advant.html http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/technology_and_impacts/impacts/environmental-impacts-of.html http://cr.middlebury.edu/es/altenergylife/sbiomass.htm http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/technology_and_impacts/energy_technologies/how-biomass-energy-works.html http://www.nrel.gov/learning/re_biomass.html http://tdn.com/news/local/article_6bf94516-5b35-11df-b4f3-001cc4c002e0.html http://www.biomassenergycentre.org.uk/portal/page?_pageid=75,15179&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL http://www.nationalatlas.gov/articles/people/IMAGES/energy_biomassmap.gif The book p. 259