Biomass

        BIOMASS

 
Biomass is a natural and clean energy able to contribute to the fight against greenhouse gas insofar as the CO2 released by the bioenergy burning is offset by the CO2 absorbed by the plants during their growth. For several years, biofuels have imposed themselves as the sustainable alternative to fossil fuels. More environmentally friendly, they are produced by the anaerobic digestion of biomass (natural fermentation of organic matter in absence of oxygen, by bacteria and other micro-organisms).
An Intensive use of biomass to produce energy can increase the share of renewable energies and reduce dependency on fossil energy (oil and gas). The diversity of the organic matters constituting the biomass allows many countries to have access to this resource. It can thus promote their energy independence.

 Biomass definition:
Biomass refers to all organic matter which can be converted into energy.
Organic matter includes both vegetal matter (vegetal waste, wood, leaves) than the material of animal origin (animal fats and livestock manures)
The vegetal matter is an important energy reserve derived from the sunlight through the process of photosynthesis
The exploitation of the organic carbon contained in the biomass depends on the type of raw material.
There are three forms of biomass with very different physical characteristics:

• Solids       (e.g. straw, wood chips, logs);
• Liquids     (e.g. vegetal oils, bio-alcohols);
• Gaseous  (e.g. methane).  (click on image to enlarge)

The vegetal biomass is considered a renewable energy source only if its regeneration is at least equal to its consumption. For example, the use of wood should not lead to a decrease in the number of trees. Growing forests absorb CO2 issued during the combustion of wood.
If the biomass was not burned, the carbon dioxide accumulated would return to the atmosphere through the normal process of decomposition.
The impact of combustion on the greenhouse effect is neutral.

Other uses of vegetal biomass

 Biomass components

Access to the different lessons on energy production from biomass (click on the word).

·[see “Uses of Biomass”]
·[see “Biogas”]
·[see “Biofuels”]

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