In the search for new energies that allow us to free ourselves from dependence on fossil fuels, one of the energy sources that has taken on renewed importance has been biomass and all the forms in which it can be presented. It is an energy that, although not completely clean, is presented as a renewable energy and allows for a fairly attractive balance of gas emissions. If you want to know more about this type of fuel, continue reading EcologíaVerde in which we explain what biomass energy is and what it is used for .
What is biomass energy?
Biomass is a fuel obtained from organic matter . Its name comes from the prefix “bio” (life) and the word mass. That is, “living matter.” Thus, biomass is a type of fuel that is characterized by being made from organic matter. Although we often think that biomass only refers to that obtained from wood as fuel, the reality is that there are many other types. Below we will talk about the different types of biomass.
What types of biomass exist?
In fact, there are as many types of biomass as you want to make. When we talk about biomass, we usually refer to organic fuels obtained from wood. The most common example of all are “pellets”, which are wood chips obtained from waste from the wood industry and which are pressed into small cylinders smaller than an alkaline battery. These pellets are sold in bags, which are used as fuel for biomass boilers, which are the equipment where biomass is burned to obtain energy that can be used in different ways.
However, there are many other types of biomass besides pellets . In fact, if we think about firewood (the same one used to light fireplaces) we are only thinking about the oldest biomass of all, the one that humans have been using to heat themselves since prehistoric times.
On the other hand, in addition to pellets and firewood, biomass can be obtained from any organic matter that, once dried, burns easily. Thus, biomass can be obtained from:
- Leftovers from the meal.
- From waste from the agricultural industry.
- From the excrement of herbivorous animals.
Biomass energy: clean or polluting?
Biomass is a renewable energy because it is not depleted and can be obtained infinitely from the natural resources offered by organic life. However, it is not a completely clean energy.
When biomass is burned, it produces two types of waste: ash and gases . Since ash is the result of the combustion of organic matter, many of these ashes can be used as natural fertilizers or even in the manufacture of cement or to combat oil spills (since they have the ability to adhere to crude oil quite easily).
Gases are the other type of waste generated by biomass. There are different types, but the one that stands out above all others is CO2 (the main gas responsible for the greenhouse effect). Therefore, when asked if it is a clean energy, the correct answer is no, biomass is not a clean energy . However, this statement must be qualified, and we will explain it to you below.
Why biomass is not considered clean energy
The nuances we were talking about earlier can be found in the way it is produced. It must be taken into account that, in order to obtain biomass, it is first necessary to plant plants (especially trees) that serve as a base to produce biomass in its different forms. Thus, although CO2 is released during the combustion of biomass, it must be taken into account that, in order to produce this biomass, a large quantity of CO2 (which was already present in the atmosphere) had to be absorbed by the plants for their growth. Thus, although biomass generates CO2 during its combustion , it also destroys CO2 during its production . For this reason, many people speak of energy with a “neutral carbon footprint” , that is, it does not reduce the quantity of CO2 present in the atmosphere, but neither does it increase it.
With this in mind, we inevitably ask ourselves the question: wouldn’t it be better if these trees were not cut down to make biomass and continued to produce oxygen? Of course it would be. But the reality is that biomass is obtained from plantations that are developed specifically for this purpose, never from primary forests (those that have grown naturally and without the influence of man). In other words, if it weren’t for biomass, they wouldn’t be planted, so the level of CO2 in the atmosphere would not be reduced by this activity.
Advantages of biomass energy
The main advantage of biomass over other types of energy is that, although as we have already said, it is not completely clean, it is considerably cleaner than when fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas) are used and, in addition, it has a very high calorific value. This makes it a good transitional energy , that is, a useful energy between the highly polluting and completely clean ones. In other words, if we burn biomass instead of diesel, the impact on the environment will be considerably less.
However, the advantages of biomass become clear when compared to fossil fuels. If we were to make this comparison with completely clean and renewable energies, such as solar or wind energy, biomass energy would come in a clear second place.
Operation of the biomass boiler
A biomass boiler is a device in which biomass is burned to obtain energy that can be used to satisfy human needs (from heating radiators and tap water to producing electricity).
There are different types of biomass boilers . The largest are intended for electricity production, and depending on their size, they can generate energy to cover the energy needs of several homes. While the smallest are those that are usually associated with individual homes and domestic use. They are those that allow you to enjoy hot water and heating in a single home and, if you have more advanced equipment, also electricity for the home itself.
