 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.  SOURCE:

 There are five basic categories of material: › Virgin wood, from forestry, arboricultural activities or from wood processing › Energy crops : high yield crops grown specifically for energy applications › Agricultural residues : residues from agriculture harvesting or processing › Food waste, from food and drink manufacture, preparation and processing, and post-consumer waste › Industrial waste and co-products from manufacturing and industrial processes.  SOURCE: dad=portal

 1. No Harmful Emissions : Biomass energy, for the most part, creates no harmful carbon dioxide emissions. Many energy sources used today struggle to control their carbon dioxide emissions, as these can cause harm to the ozone layer and increase the effects of greenhouse gases, potentially warming the planet. It is completely natural, has no such carbon dioxide side effects in its use.  2. Clean Energy : It does release carbon dioxide but captures carbon dioxide for its own growth. Carbon dioxide released by fossil fuel are released into the atmosphere and are harmful to the environment.  Source: Source:

 3. Abundant and Renewable : Biomass products are abundant and renewable. Since they come from living sources, and life is cyclical, these products potentially never run out, so long as there is something living on earth and there is someone there to turn that living things components and waste products into energy.  4. Reduce Dependency on Fossil Fuels : It has developed as an alternate source of fuel for many homeowners and have helped them to reduce their dependency on fossil fuels.  Source: Source:

 5. Reduce Landfills : Another benefit of this energy is that it can take waste that is harmful to the environment and turn it into something useful. For instance, garbage as landfill can, at least partially, be burned to create useable biomass energy.  6. Can be Used to Create Different Products : Biomass energy is also versatile, as different forms of organic matter can be used to create different products. Ethanol and similar fuels can be made from corn and other crops. With so many living things on the planet, there is no limit to how many ways it can be found and used.  Source: Source:

 Advantages of Biomass Energy 1) It’s a renewable source of energy. 2) It’s a comparatively lesser pollution generating energy. 3) Biomass energy helps in cleanliness in villages and cities. 4) It provides manure for the agriculture and gardens. 5) There is tremendous potential to generate biogas energy. 6) Biomass energy is relatively cheaper and reliable. 7) It can be generated from everyday human and animal wastes, vegetable and agriculture left-over etc. 8) Recycling of waste reduces pollution and spread of diseases. 9) Heat energy that one gets from biogas is 3.5 times the heat from burning wood. 10) Because of more heat produced the time required for cooking is lesser. 11) Pressure on the surrounding forest and scrubs can be reduced when biogas is used as cooking fuel. 12) It is a more cost effective means of acquiring energy as compared to oil supplies. As oil supplies are getting depleted day by day, it is becoming a costly commodity. 13) Growing biomass crops use up carbon dioxide and produces oxygen.  SOURCE: and.html#axzz3Ug57xKEQhttp:// and.html#axzz3Ug57xKEQ

 1. Expensive : Firstly, its expensive. Living things are expensive to care for, feed, and house, and all of that has to be considered when trying to use waste products from animals for fuel.  2. Inefficient as Compared to Fossil Fuels : Secondly, and connected to the first, is the relative inefficiency of biomass energy. Ethanol, as a biodiesel is terribly inefficient when compared to gasoline, and it often has to be mixed with some gasoline to make it work properly anyway. On top of that, ethanol is harmful to combustion engines over long term use.  Source: Source:

 3. Harmful to Environment : Thirdly, using animal and human waste to power engines may save on carbon dioxide emissions, but it increases methane gases, which are also harmful to the Earth’s— ozone layer. So really, we are no better off environmentally for using one or the other. And speaking of using waste products, there is the smell to consider. While it is not physically harmful, it is definitely unpleasant, and it can attract unwanted pests (rats, flies) and spread bacteria and infection.  4. Consume More Fuel : Finally, using trees and tree products to power machines is inefficient as well. Not only does it take a lot more fuel to do the same job as using conventional fuels, but it also creates environmental problems of its own. To amass enough lumber to power a nation full of vehicles or even a power plant, companies would have to clear considerable forest area. This results in major topological changes and destroys the homes of countless animals and plants.  Source: Source:

 5. Require More Land : Combustion of biomass products require some land where they can easily be burnt. Since, it produces gases like methane in atmosphere; therefore it can be produced in those areas which are quite far from residential homes.  SOURCE:

 Classes of biomass Virgin wood Energy crops Agricultural residues Food waste Industrial waste and co-products Virgin wood Energy crops Agricultural residues Food waste Industrial waste and co-products  Source:

 Virgin wood consists of wood and other products such as bark and sawdust which have had no chemical treatments or finishes applied. Wood may be obtained from a number of sources which may influence it's physical and chemical characteristics.  It may be in a range of physical forms:  Bark Bark  Brash and arboricultural arisings Brash and arboricultural arisings  Logs Logs  Sawdust Sawdust  Wood chips Wood chips  Wood pellets and briquettes Wood pellets and briquettes  Source:

 Energy crops are grown specifically for use as fuel and offer high output per hectare with low inputs.  Classes of energy crops Short rotation energy crops Grasses and non-woody energy crops Agricultural energy crops Aquatics (hydroponics) Short rotation energy crops Grasses and non-woody energy crops Agricultural energy crops Aquatics (hydroponics)  Source:

 Agricultural residues are of a wide variety of types, and the most appropriate energy conversion technologies and handling protocols vary from type to type. The most significant division is between those residues that are predominantly dry (such as straw) and those that are wet (such as animal slurry).Sources of agricultural residues Many agricultural crops and processes yield residues that can potentially be used for energy applications, in a number of ways.  Sources can include:  Arable crop residues such as straw or husks  Animal manures and slurries  Animal bedding such as poultry litter  Most organic material from excess production or insufficient market, such as grass silage.  Source:

 Dry residues These include those parts of arable crops not to be used for the primary purpose of producing food, feed or fibre, used animal bedding and feathers:  Straw Corn stover Poultry litter Wet residues These are residues and wastes that have a high water content as collected. Straw Corn stover Poultry litter  This makes them energetically inefficient to use for combustion or gasification, and financially and energetically costly to transport. It is therefore preferable to process them close to production, and to use processes that can make use of biomass in an aqueous environment.  Typical wet residues include:  Animal slurry and farmyard manure Grass silage Moisture content Any moisture content must be driven off before combustion can take place, either in advance before storage or as part of the combustion process (which then uses part of the energy of the fuel); in either case reducing overall energetic efficiency. Equally, gasification also requires relatively low moisture content (<10-15%).Drying biomass material Other processes, however make use of biomass in an aqueous slurry, and these therefore are particularly suitable for 'wet' materials with a very high moisture content. Animal slurry and farmyard manure Grass silageDrying biomass material  source::

 There are residues and waste at all points in the food supply chain from initial production, through processing, handling and distributions to post-consumer waste from hotels, restaurants and individual houses.  source;

 Many industrial processes and manufacturing operations produce residues, waste or co-products that can potentially be used or converted to biomass fuel. These can be divided into woody materials and non-woody materials.  Source:

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