What is biomass?
By Dilys & Doug Griffiths - 03/03/2008
Biomass is any form of plant life, animal waste – anything, in fact, that relies upon the Life-cycle for its existence. But it excludes long-standing formations of materials such as oil and coal.
Biomass has its origin in history at a time when people obtained heat by burning wood, peat, bracken and other dried plant life. In the 19th century it was observed that rotting animal and plant waste - discovered when compost heaps burst into flame - produced methane gas. Spontaneous ignition of hayricks occur even today.
During the 20th century, plants were used to produce ethylene – a petrol-type product. Brazil used the larger proportion of its sugar crop for fuel for its transport. More recently, in Europe, such things as chicken litter, straw, willow and poplar trees and animal waste from slaughter houses are used for fuel. This is used for on-going experiments in some working power stations and for heating industries and large residential complexes.
One power station in Norfolk burns about 600,000 tons of chicken litter per annum. The waste left after burning, produces 60,000 tons of useful fertiliser. Another power plant consumes 30tons of straw bales per hour, from the local farms. This generates enough energy to supply about 50,000 houses.
The importance of Biomass is that it uses unwanted waste. The major part of the waste used in Europe is plant life because it has been proved to be carbon neutral. During the growth of the plant it absorbs, from the atmosphere, as much carbon dioxide as it gives out when burned - making it pollution free.
Figures from the U.K. Department for the Environment estimate, in Great Britain, there exists about 2.3 million acres of land available for non-food uses. These could provide 8 million tons of energy producing crops. In addition, British Forestry have about 3 million tons of recoverable, contaminated, waste wood. Together these could make a significant contribution to our renewable energy programmes.