Renewable Energy-Biomass

Paul and Chetta

Biomass

The term “biomass” refers to any form of plant or animal tissue. In the energy industry, biomass refers to wood, straw, biological waste, such as manure, and any other nature materials that contain stored energy (www.re-energy.ca)

Biomass-Energy

The energy stored in biomass can be released by burning the material directly, or by feeding it to micro-organisms that use it to make biogas, a form of natural gas.(www.re-energy.ca)

Biomass-USA

Biomass-Govt

Any solid non-hazardous cellulosic waste material which is segregated from other waste materials and which is delivered from (A) forest-related resources, (B) solid waste materials, and (C) agricultural sources.

Energy Policy

Federal Govt. projections of renewable:

2005-07: Not less than 3%

2008-10: Not less than 5%

2011- : Not less than 7.5%

Grants Program: Payment will not exceed 20 per ton

$75M annually for spending on Biomass/Biofuels

Projects: U. of TN- Switch grass ($1M)

IO State clean energy gasification from switch grass ($250K)

MI soybean biodiesel ($300K)

NE soybean oil for biodiesel ($500K)

Biomass-Biofuels

Converting biomass into liquid fuels for transportation

Biomass-Biopower

Burning biomass directly, or converting it into fuel or, to generate electricity

Biomass-Bioproducts

Converting biomass into chemicals for making products that are made from petroleum

Agricultural Crops

Cane, corn, wheat, sorghum and vegetable oil-bearing crops

Liquid fuel sourceseither as ethanol or biodiesel

Residues- rice husk, sugar cane fiber, coconut husks, groundnut shells, straw

Ethanol

Used to produce GasoholMade from Corn or Sugar caneCurrently used widely in the Midwest

and South10% ethanol and 90% gasoline

New technologies are using switch grass and willow, more efficient

Animal Waste

Most common are manure’s from pigs, chickens and cattle (feed lots)

Convert waste via anaerobic digestion into biogas

Forestry crops

Fast-growing and coppicing

Residues are generated by thinning , clearing for roads, extracting stem wood for pulp and timber, sawdust, off-cuts, bark and woodchip

Industrial waste

Solid waste-peelings from fruits and veggies, substandard food, filter sludge's and coffee grounds

Liquid waste-washing meats, fruits and veggies pre-cooking, wine making

Municipal waste

Millions of ton(s) into landfills

Converted into energy by direct combustion or anaerobic digestion, with gas collected from the stored material

Sewage-Biogas production

Anaerobic Digestion

Decomposition of wet and green biomass thru bacterial action w/o oxygen

Mixed gas output of methane and carbon dioxide

Pipeline distribution

Biogas is produced using animal manure

Can be burnt directly for cooking or heating or used as fuel in combustion engines

Methane

Benefits

Renewable that does not contribute to global warming-recycled in next generation of trees

Negligible sulphur content

Conversion of agricultural, forestry, municipal waste reduced landfill

The growing of trees and plants remove carbon dioxide during photosynthesis and store carbon

Fast growing trees recycle carbon rapidly

Energy crops provide dual purpose of soil protection, drought and habitat

Benefits-Economically

New technologies to create ethanol from switch grass and willow trees

Farmers profit

Marginal lands can be used

Domestic resource

Job increase

Byproducts can be used as animal feeds, fertilizer and soil amendments

Local energy for communities

Biogas from landfills

Problems

Biomass has low energy density-transportation

Incomplete combustion-localized air pollution

Biomass-combustion-pollution

Deforestation

Conflict of land use for other uses,-farming

Not fully competitive

Takes energy to make energy

Exotics

Increased need for pesticides and fertilizers

While landfill space is saved, may destroy resources that could be recycled or reused

Waste products, wood, tires, sewage can contain contaminants

Problems-Economically

Ethanol production is viable with federal tax subsidies

Growing corn for ethanol has high production costs and impacts from fertilizers, pesticides and fuels

Conversion efficiency low

Short term production cost high, cheaper in the long-term

Biomass is not free-labor, equipment, fuel costs

Landfill methane technologies are perceived to have “high risk” (DOE)

Biomass Use

3% of primary energy in industrialized countries

Developing countries, especially rural areas use 50% of traditional biomass (wood)

Future within Biomass

Strategies must be different in different geographical areas; determined by land quality, land uses, competing uses and the areas demands for energy.

Future

Several Indian tribes, BLM and Forest Service are developing small biomass energy systems as healthy forest initiative

Biodiesel is cleaner alternative DOE sponsoring efforts to

increase conversion efficiencies

Gasifier technology being used in HI to produce hydrogen from biomass (Bagasse, nutshells, sugar cane, switch grass)

Direct combustion within boilers to produce energy

40 million vehicles run on alcohol in Brazil

Monsanto and Shell have teamed to produce genetically modified, rapid growing trees

Biomass accounts for 1.6% of total US electricity

Should anything that creates pollution in order to create energy be considered green, clean or renewable?