The solar energy, stored in chemical form in plant and animal materials, is among the most precious and versatile resources on earth. It provides not only food but also energy, building materials, paper, fabrics, medicines and chemicals. Biomass has been used for energy purposes ever since man discovered fire. Today, biomass fuels can be utilised for tasks ranging from heating the house to fuelling a car and running a computer.

Basic data about Biomass. Carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and water from the earth are combined in the photosynthetic process to produce carbohydrates (sugars) that form the building blocks of biomass. The solar energy that drives photosynthesis is stored in the chemical bonds of the structural components of biomass. If we burn biomass efficiently (extract the energy stored in the chemical bonds) oxygen from the atmosphere combines with the carbon in plants to produce carbon dioxide and water. The process is cyclic because the carbon dioxide is then available to produce new biomass. .....more.

Biomass as energy source. Plants are the most common source of biomass. They have been used in the form of wood, peat and straw for thousands of years. Today the western world is far less reliant on this high energy fuel. This is because of the general acceptance that coal, oil and electricity are more efficient and more in keeping with modernisation and technology. It is a general opinion by experts that the dependence on finite and polluting sources must end as soon as possible. .....more.

Methods of generating energy from Biomass. Nearly all types of raw biomass decompose rather quickly, so few are very good long-term energy storages; and because of their relatively low energy densities, they are likely to be rather expensive to transport over appreciable distances. Recent years have therefore seen considerable effort devoted to the search for the best ways to use these potentially valuable sources of energy. In considering the methods for extracting the energy, it is possible to order them by the complexity of the processes involved: Direct combustion of biomass. Thermochemical processing to upgrade the biofuel. Processes in this category include pyrolysis, gasification and liquefaction. Biological processing. Natural processes such as anaerobic digestion and fermentation which lead to a useful gaseous or liquid fuel. .....more.

Biomass as solid fuel. Most common process of biomass combustion is burning of wood. In developed countries replacing oil or coal-fired central heating boiler with a wood burning one can save between 20 and 60% on heating bills, because wood costs less than oil or coal. At the same time wood burning units, if efficient, are eco-friendly. They only emit the same amount of the greenhouse gas CO2 as the tree absorbed when it was growing. So burning wood does not contribute to global warming. Since wood contains less sulphur than oil does, less sulphate is discharged into the atmosphere. This means less acid rain and less acid in the environment. .....more.

Biomass as liquid fuel (Biofuel). new Biomass can be processed and used as a liquid fuel for heating or in internal combustion engines either on their own or blended with petroleum. Therefore, they have the potential to change and/or enhance the supply and use of fuel in many parts of the world. There are many widely-available raw materials from which fuel can be made, using already improved and demonstrated existing technologies. Bio fuel have favourable characteristics, namely clean burning and high rated performance. .....more.

Biomass as gas fuel (Biogas). The biogas (mainly mixture of methane and carbon dioxide) is produced/generated under both, natural and artificial conditions. However for techno-economically-viable production of biogas for wider application the artificial system is the best and most convenient method. The production of biogas is a biological process which takes place in the absence of air (oxygen), through which the organic material is converted in to, essentially Methane (CH4) and Carbon dioxide (CO2) and in the process gives excellent organic fertilizer and humus as the second by-product. .....more.

Conversion of biomass into electricity. Historically one of the earliest alternatives to fossil fuels is a wood fired boiler producing steam which powers an engine driving a generator. This, unfortunately is about the only advantage. But the steam power has all the disadvantages of an engine/generator and even several more. With fuels cells, this might cange and ethanol could be the best choice on short and mediom term. .....more.

Guideline for Estimation of Biomass Potentials, Barriers and Effects. It is large potentials in using Bio mass and this potentials are largely unused. The following are some guidelines. Most commercial forests in Europe have an unused energy potential, which can be used without endangering their role in the natural eco-systems. Managed Forests and other plantations for produce of construction material or paper, can be expanded for Bio mass production. Straw, prunings of fruit trees and wine and olive oil residues are all residues from agriculture that can be used for energy purposes, it is also many other residues from rice production etc, that can be efficiently used. Straw surplus can be ploughed into the field for enriching the humus layer of the field. When this is needed for a sustainable agriculture, the surplus straw for energy will be lower. It is estimated that 20-40 million hectares of land in the EU will be surplus to conventional agricultural requirement. The same situation (agricultural overproduction and setting the land aside) can be expected in Central Europe as well. This set aside land can be used for different purposes, one of them is energy crop production. The largest potential for biogas is in manure from agriculture. Other potential raw materials for biogas are: - sludge from mechanical and biological waste water treatment - organic household waste - organic, bio-degradable waste from industries, in particular slaughter houses and food processing industries .....more.

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