There are multiple renewable resources that exist today.  Hydro, solar, wind, geothermal, and alcohol just to name a few. However, biomass energy is an alternative fuel that is said to be sustainable and reliable. What makes biomass so interesting is its source because it has more than just one much like solar. It’s inevitable for there to be some issue with any renewable resources, but for biomass, there is likely more ways to work around them. Biomass is vague, so that can be wood, animal manure, trash, the list goes on. The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 mapped out the plan for our energy consumption by 2022. The goal was set to produce 36 billion gallons of biofuels a year by 2022. If this is done right, biofuels will be found in many gas stations across the country in 10 to 15 years.  

The Processes of Biofuel 

        To understand biomass, it’s important to recognize what is done in order to make new energy.  To begin the process, transesterification must occur. This is done by adding methanol to the vegetable oil for example. Alkaline acts like a catalyst to make a chemical reaction between the oil and the methanol. Either Sodium Hydroxide or Potassium Hydroxide can be used.  Digesters can also be used with human or animal waste. The material enters a large compartment and is then converted into organic waste through anaerobic digestion. This process is done for days, kitchen waste, manure, all are used to create energy for cooking and everyday needs.     

Statistics 

       As of today in the United States, 5% of total primary energy use is of biomass. Now a large portion of this comes from wood(45%) and wood-derived biomass, and about 11% was from municipal waste. This high use of waste material lets the world have more space, which helps out for many. With the expansion of digesters,  Anaerobic digestion generation increased by 19 percent, reaching 2.5. The rate at which biomass technology is moving is proactive, in fact, The largest biomass power station in the world in Finland produces a maximum of 265 MW of power. For consumption, the industrial use racks up to 51.33%, transportation 26.1%, residential 9. 75% and electricity 10.07%.  

    Biomasses is a renewable source to considerate based on an agricultural and economic point of view. The expansion of fossil fuel will speed up the Greenhouse effect story, and the health of the earth is at stake.  Small and practical steps must be taken in order to restore the attitudes about where we get our energy and how it is used.  

 

Edited: Tyler Brown