Is Biomass A Green Energy Source?
Is biomass a green energy source? According to
experts, yes it is. In fact, it is one of the three main areas of
bioenergy.
But what is bioenergy? Well, it is a process by which organic material
such as animal waste, plants and wood are used to generate electricity,
produce heat and also aid in the production of biofuels.
In the case of biomass, hot air or water is generated to produce
electricity. This is done through direct combustion and is considered
the simplest and most common method of generating energy from biomass.
Aside from generating electricity, biomass can be used for hot air
production so you can keep a place warm. For this to work, biomass has
to be combusted in a furnace where it heats either water or air.
Speaking of water, this enables you to have warm water so you can take a
shower. In short, biomass in itself can also be used in a small scale as
a heating system.
Since you can generate electricity and heat, some people have been able
to combine the two which is known as combined heat and power or CHP.
Something that many consider to be good as you use one energy source for
two purposes.
If you are able to compare the amount of electricity generated between
biomass and let’s say solar energy, you will notice that biomass
produces more because the energy in plants is already captured and
stored.
You don’t have to collect it first which is what happens with solar or
even wind energy since this is manufactured technology. It is readily
available unlike the other two which is totally dependent on the
weather.
Another is the fact that you can even use organic waste to product
electricity. No other green energy source can do that and by using this
extensively, any government can save money because you don’t have to
spend money to dispose of the waste and you will no longer depend on
foreign oil that much to power your plants.
The downside to biomass is that because you have to burn waste and other
organic materials to product power, you add to the pollution which is
already in the atmosphere. But this can be offset of course by planting
more crops which we know helps reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in
the atmosphere.
You will also have to shell out a lot of money initially for the costs
of labor, the transport of these fuels and how these should be stored.
Biomass uses renewable natural resources which is why it is considered a
green energy source. This means that we have an endless supply of it
around just like the power of the sun or the wind which flows from the
ocean. The challenge is to find suitable land that has a sufficient
water supply so these will be able to grow.
This means that in areas where water is not that abundant, you cannot
rely on biomass technology to generate power. When that happens, you use
other means and one good example given the right geographical location
is wave energy which is the process of generating power from the water.
There is a way to generate power without causing harm to the
environment. We have the technology and the green energy sources. We
just need to muster the willingness to make it happen.
About the Author: D. Benjamin is the owner of
iapsales.com LLC - a family business specializing in HVAC products. We
are distributors of
Qmark Heaters,
electric tankless water heaters,
bathroom heaters,
patio heaters, electric heaters, portable air
conditioners & electric towel warmers. Shop online at
www.heateroutlet.com for these great home improvement products.
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