| Biomass is matter normally thought of as garbage or | | | | forest and agricultural resides and other feed stocks |
| waste. The majority of it consists of old or dead | | | | to help produce a renewable energy source. |
| trees, tree branches, leaves, yard clippings, old crops, | | | | There multiple ways to use biomass to create |
| wood chips, bark as well as tires or other rubber | | | | energy: |
| products - and even livestock manure. | | | | - When plant matter is heated (but not burned), it |
| All of these elements can be combined to produce | | | | breaks down into various forms such as gases, liquids |
| Biomass Energy through the process of burning or | | | | and solids. These can be processed and refined into |
| heating the materials to release the stored solar | | | | useful fuels. These fuels can either be burned in gas |
| energy within. Biomass Energy is a very safe, | | | | turbines to create electricity, or be stored in fuel cells |
| Eco-friendly power source that can be replenished | | | | and later used to create electricity when necessary. |
| indefinitely as long as the energy necessary for the | | | | The advantage of this process is that very few |
| process is not greater than the energy that is | | | | emissions are created - and at times none. |
| actually released from the biomass (a common myth). | | | | - By using biochemical methods, equivalent to |
| Throughout history, biomass has been a major | | | | fermentation, it's possible to convert biomass into a |
| source of energy; this has been practiced for millennia | | | | combustible fuel. This fuel can be burned to create |
| by man in a simple manner: by burning it to produce | | | | power and heat. |
| heat. Biomass Energy is still created by this method | | | | - Biomass oil, such as soybean and canola oil, can be |
| to this day. The heat from Biomass Energy can be | | | | chemically converted to liquid fuel that can be used |
| used directly, for heating, cooking, and industrial | | | | to create "biodiesel" fuel for trucks. |
| processes. Consequently, things that most people | | | | - Biomass can also be used to create compost, which |
| would consider to be trash or garbage, can actually | | | | is decayed plant or food products mixed together in |
| be used to produce heat, electricity, or even fuel. | | | | a pile and spread out to help plants grow. |
| Most people aren't aware of the fact, but biomass is | | | | No matter what method we use the outcome is the |
| commonly used. For example, California produces | | | | same, a cleaner, safer energy. Each improvement in |
| more than 60 million tons of biomass each year, of | | | | the Biomass conversion technology means we're that |
| which a total of 5 million tons is converted into | | | | much closer to a cleaner environment and a safer |
| Biomass Energy for electricity. This Biomass Energy | | | | energy source for everybody. |
| comes from the lumber mill and urban wood wastes, | | | | |