Renewable energies: biomass. Biofeuls Biomass –Wood –Charcoal –Peat –Manure Biodiesel ...
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Transcript of Renewable energies: biomass. Biofeuls Biomass –Wood –Charcoal –Peat –Manure Biodiesel ...
Renewable energies: biomass
Biofeuls
Biomass– Wood– Charcoal– Peat– Manure
BiodieselEthanol
Energy from Biomass Biomass is energy produced from burning solid biomass, such as plant materials and animal waste
indirect form of solar energy used for heat, cooking and industry most plentiful fuel source when it’s used renewably
oldest form of energy
Who uses biomass?-provides 10 percent of the world’s energy
-7 percent of the world’s energy is from burning firewood
Developing countries: -35 percent of energy in developing countries-95 percent in the poorest countries-as countries develop, they are likely to switch to
using more expensive fossil fuels
Is biomass really renewable?-it can be, if it’s harvested sustainably
-HOWEVER: in many developing countries, people just take the fuel wood they need without replanting
-wood is often converted into charcoal and sold in urban areas (Haiti deforestation and resulting problems)
-Solution research
Advantages and Disadvantages
-there’s a large potential supply, if it’s used sustainably
-doesn’t cost too much-no net carbon dioxide
released if it is harvested sustainably
-plantations can restore degraded land
-can put agricultural and urban waste to good use
-easily becomes nonrenewable when not harvested carefully
-if not harvested renewably, it releases a lot of carbon dioxide
-burning causes pollution of air and water
-plantations & cutting down trees cause habitat and biodiversity loss
-plantations could compete with land that should be used to grow crops
Biodiesel• diesel fuel made vegetable oil
extracted from renewable resources
• organic replacement for diesel
fuel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8omdRWbRaIs
Biodiesel and the Government
• The Renewable Fuel Standard in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 20071
o requires biofuels to perform better than gasoline or diesel fuel (greenhouse gas emissions)
• Obama signed the Tax Relief, Unemployment
Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 20114
o extends biodiesel tax incentive through 2011 incentive makes it competitive with conventional
diesel fuel
1 - American Farmland Trust, Agriculture and the Environment - Biofuels.4- National Biodiesel Board, Biodiesel.org - Tax Credit Extension Action Center.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Figure 17-29 from Miller Textbook
Ethanol
•Made of grain alcohol in its purest form•In the U.S. mainly made from starch in corn grain•Can be mixed with unleaded gasoline•Comes in forms of E10, E85 and midrange
•E10: 10% ethanol, 90% gasoline can be used by all cars•E85: 85% ethanol, 15% gasoline requires flexible fuel vehicles that are designed to run on ethanol •Midrange fuels: can be used on traditional car with some modifications
Advantages• Would help reduce foreign oil dependence
• Producing 7.5 billion gal of ethanol would reduce oil consumption by 80,000 gal per day
• Domestic production = boost for economy• Cleaner burning
• Reduces smog forming emissions and carbon monoxide emissions
• Flexible fuel vehicles can also run on gasoline
Disadvantages: Currently produced mainly from corn; there are still greenhouse gas emissions.