1. 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.

2. 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

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

4. 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)

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

6. 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

7. 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

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