Biomass Fuel If you have a fireplace, the wood you burn in it is a Biomass fuel. What we now call a Biomass fuel was the source of heating for thousands of years.

Biomass: A General Description Biomass is energy that comes from organic material like plants Plants use photosynthesis to grow(Sunlight and Carbon Dioxide), the energy from the plants is then used to produce(Ethanol, Methane, Bio Diesel or Heat). Methane Ethanol Bio Diesel

Examples of Biomass Biomass fuels include: wood, wood waste, straw, manure, sugar cane, switch grass and other organic material

Biomass Energy Conversions Direct Combustion- burning of biomass to produce heat for space heating and electricity production. Biochemical (Bio Fuel)- the decomposition of organic material to produce ethanol, methane, or bio-diesel Direct Combustion Biochemical (Bio Fuel)

Biomass: Current Technologies Ethanol is created and blended with Gasoline Bio-Diesel is a the reuse of restaurant cooking oils and blended with Diesel

Why is Biomass SO good? Carbon cycle: the process by which carbon is taken up by plants and animals and returned to the environment in a continuous cycle

Biomass:Future Development Improved processing to utilize (hemi)cellulose Continue process improvements in cogeneration techniques with coal burning power plants “Gas stations” must also service biofuels Car manufacturers must continue to modify the internal combustion engine to appropriately utilize biofuels. New fuels need to be competitively priced

Reference Heating with Wood, DOE, 2000 U.S. Dept. Of Energy, 2000 www.iowastateuniv.edu The Value of the Benefits of US Biomass Power, 1999