renewable energy

Biomass is both Man’s Oldest Renewable Energy Source and Newest

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Man started to use biomass for energy on the day that our ancestors discovered fire, and used it for cooking. Biomass is actually just another word for biological-mass. Biomass is anything that has been grown or has lived, except for fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas etc). Fossil fuels were of course created by the decay of living organisms many millennia ago in pre-history and are biomass in that sense, but these are not included within the term ‘biomass’ as used by renewable energy experts.

Biomass takes many forms, some of the most well known are wood, straw, biowaste, wood chip, waste paper, organic slurries from the processing of foodstuffs, livestock farming, sewage treatment, chicken litter etc. I guess that most of us can think of a hundred or more examples of biomass with a little thought, and they can all be burnt, or fermented and digested to provide energy. They all contain energy from the sun, which was bound up into their carbon chemistry while they were alive, and that energy can be released for man’s use without increasing the net additional carbon dioxide (greenhouse gas) burden on our planet, as long as we continually replant, breed and re-grow replacement biomass sources in place of those we use.

So biomass can also be grown as a crop for use as fuel. If the biomass is to be grown it will need to be selected to be of high calorific value (give of lots of heat when burnt), grow fast, need little fertilizing or watering, require low power requirements during growing and be cheaply harvested. However, the growing of biomass to use as biofuel on a large scale would have the effect of reducing available land for food crops. This could be a bad thing for the poor, if the cost of food rose.

So where can we find sustainable renewable biomass without taking up good food producing farmland?

Well, as we hinted earlier there is a huge, largely untapped source of biomass, in the waste produced by modern society. Why not use that? (Some purists would say that some waste – like plastics is made from fossil fuel (oil) sources. I would respond that these should, in principle, be removed from the biomass before use, and recycled.)

Biomass can also be separated at source by the public by the rapidly increasing number of councils which provide a separate collection for biowaste, including food waste which is the highest heat producing waste of them all when burnt or digested, and these days comprises between 15% and 25% of all household (domestic) waste by weight. Western societies do throw away an awful lot of food, and in many nations the amount of food discarded is continuing to rise, although overall tonnages of waste created year by year by the public have nearly stabilised.

So society must now rediscover biomass as a significant energy source. We think that we have progressed far away from the simple log fire, which used biomass. In truth we have not. By using fossil fuels in massive quantities, we have simply been raiding the bank, we have been stealing oxygen from the earth’s atmosphere and replacing the oxygen with the greenhouse gas, and global warming gas, carbon dioxide.

We simply cannot go on doing this without reaping climate change disaster on the earth.

We can change our ways. It is possible, but we need thoughtful people like you. People who read articles like this one, to understand this truth, and appreciate the great urgency for change to renewable fuels. The planet needs all of us that do understand to keep ourselves informed and to influence our friends, and persuade them of the value of using biomass as a fuel, and in particular waste biomass is one of the best ways of doing this.

If you want to be one of those that understand renewable energy and what the adoption of renewables can do to help future generations to survive climate change, please do visit our web site.

Our web site is The Renewable Energy News Blog, an upcoming and growing site, with a great deal to say about, and report upon in the renewable energy sector. Be part of the massive sustainable energy challenge!

In particular we think that you would find this article interesting Governments Must Start Now to Put Real Research Money Into Anaerobic Digestion.

Steve also writes for this dog breed web site at The Dog Breeds Compendium.

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Using Biofuels In Transportation Industry – An Environmentally Friendly Alternative

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Biofuels may be defined as any fuel obtained from biomass. Biomass is material derived from plants and animals. Experts and environmentalists feel that we need to make changes in our manner of living so that we can protect the planet from global warming. Switching to biofuels for the transportation industry can be one such change.

Some of the Biofuels include vegetable oil, biodiesel, biogas and bioalcohol. Vegetable oil is used to manufacture biodiesel which can be used in cars. Biodiesel is generated through a process known as transesterification by using oils and fats. Today, this is the most commonly used biofuel in the world. Bioalcohols like ethanol fuel and butanol are produced by fermentation of sugars and starch. Biodiesel is a source of renewable energy, since it is plant based. It is a green fuel as it does not release toxic gases in the atmosphere.

Biodiesel can be used in any diesel engine, mixed with the normal diesel. Biobutanol which is also called biogasoline can be used directly in a vehicle as a replacement for gasoline. Biofuels are beneficial to the environment as they reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reduce our dependence on fossil fuel, increase national energy security, increase rural development and provide a sustainable fuel supply for the future.

Many environmental groups are supporting the use of biofuels since they see it as a significant step towards slowing down climate change. Many countries which are beginning to recognise the importance of bioenergy have dedicated facilities for research, development and deployment. There is exchange of information and co-operation among the nations who realize the importance of reaping the benefits of biofuels.

At present there are a few problems associated with the use of biofuels, one of them being the high cost of production. Another point of note is the extensive deforestation due to the use of wood as a source of biomass, and the negative impact it will have on the environment. There are other issues with bio diesel fuel relating to the transport industry, as it does not perform well in cold climates. The wax crystals formed may clog fuel lines of the vehicles. So vehicles may still have to be powered by gasoline in cold climates unless future research can overcome these problems.

In future however, biofuels should become cost effective, affordable, abundant and eco-friendly. This is a challenge for the scientists and hopefully, with the amount of research being done in the field of biotechnology, the world will get an abundant source of alternative energy. Once the stocks of fossil fuels deplete, and the price of oil rises to unprecedented levels, there will be tremendous pressure to look for alternatives. Biofuels can then be used as an alternative source of energy for powering your cars,boilers and engines and also providing heat and electricity to your homes.

Abhishek is an avid Environmentalist and he has got some great Alternative Fuel Secrets up his sleeves! Download his FREE 70 Pages Ebook, “Energy Conservation And Alternative Fuel” from his website http://www.Wonder-Homes.com/643/index.htm. Only limited Free Copies available.

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Biofuel Advantages & Disadvantages

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Biofuels are derived from the decomposition of biological or organic waste. Most biofuels are formed from plant matter. They are found in liquid, solid or gas states.

Biofuels differ from fossil fuels in some important ways.

• They are a completely renewable energy type

• They emit much fewer pollution-causing green house gases

• They can be produced in one crop season, unlike fossil years which took MILLIONS of years to form

There are different “generations” of biofuels. Let’s look at each.

• First generation biofuels come from sugar, other starches, as well as animal and vegetable oils. Examples include biodiesel and biogas.

• Second generation oils are derived from industrial waste products, such as wood chips. Ethanol biofuel, other alcohols and diesels fall into this classification.

• Algae biofuel is the third generation. These are highly renewable because the algae can be easily grown on a large scale and they decompose quickly and easily.

• Micro-organisms are utilized in forth generation biofuels. Like third generation, they decompose quickly and so have a low carbon footprint.

Now that we have learned about the various types, let’s examine biofuel advantages.

As previously stated, all biofuels are extremely renewable. They are therefore able to lessen our reliance on non-renewable fossil fuels.

Compared to the extraction, processing and transporting of fossil fuels, manufacturing biofuels is much less expensive. Everyone is looking for home energy saving tips these days.

Biofuels are more environmentally friendly. Less green house gasses are emitted from them than from fossil fuels.

Biofuel Disadvantages:

In the creation of first generation biofuels, huge amounts of land are needed. The crops tend to be lesser varieties of the original, say of corn, for example, making it unsuitable for human consumption. This reduces acreage for good food crops and shrinks food production. The price of edible corn has therefore gone up in recent years. This has been a topic of heated discussion with many arguments on both sides. The belief by those who protest large-scale production of food crops for biofuels is that food should be solely for eating. They maintain that many poor people have already been negatively impacted by the production of biofuels.

Biofuel creation also requires enormous amounts of material. With much land devoted to this, less is available for growing edible food crops. So, as more and more land is used for both food crops and for biofuels, there is less and less natural habit for ecosystems of plants and animals.

Another issue is that most biofuels are produced in relatively small quantities compared to the large-scale production of coal, oil and natural gas. It’s difficult to maintain a regular supply of biofuel, so it cannot always be counted on unless you have a reliable source.

For these reasons, many feel the best future use of biofuels will be in developing countries. Here, where fossil fuels may be in short supply or unaffordable, small-scale biofuel production may be a viable renewable energy type. In the Indian state of Bihar, for example, the resourceful citizens are converting biomass from human waste into biogas for electricity.

Weighing the advantages and disadvantages of biofuels, we can see that they are not the perfect green energy source. If you are lucky enough to live close to some kind of manufacturing facility where waste is produced which could be turned into biofuel, then that would be terrific.

If you’re looking for home energy saving tips though, you’ll probably want to take a closer look at wind and solar power solutions. The energy-conscious home owner will find many savings with these.

Russ Harding is a DIY enthusiast living in Nova Scotia, Canada. For more information on biofuels [http://www.diy-solar-power-plans.com/biofuel-advantages-disadvantages] check out DIY solar power plans [http://www.diy-solar-power-plans.com/].

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Businesses In Need Of Energy

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Businesses In Need Of Energy

Article by Thomas Banken

Biomass is a word not your daily person will probably be familiar with; it indicates energy is biodegradable and can be reconditioned most commonly using wood to generate energy nevertheless it may be anything that is utilized to develop energy.

These days’ biomass strategies took an alternative turn with corporations across the world trying to utilize biomass technology to produce renewable sources of fuel that lower your expenses especially in the cruel financial situations the world finds itself in at present. A principal concern for many businesses will be to effectively harness methane using biomass boilers to save cash. In the creation of goods and food waste is removed all the time while in actuality it could be transformed into methane to power the economic setting on a sustainable energy resource created inside the building saving people funds on energy expenses. An up to date demonstration of this can be seen in North California where an Onion manufacturing facility saved an astounding 100,000 bucks simply by converting the excess produce of onion’s and naturally making it into methane, this is simply one example of methods biomass heaters and other biomass engineering can actually change the prospects of an entire business and its personnel.

Other examples include landfilling stations that have delved into the world of electrical productions simply through using alternative energy sources to produce electricity to power a huge number of homes.

But how can a biomass heaters help a small company or family home? In truth the reality is that the sophistication of the storage and piping system makes it near extremely hard for everyday people to harness methane to provide a renewable energy source for their home.

Instead many people turn to smaller biomass heaters which use wood pellets to power their houses, a thing that is a lot easier to install and handle but can still bring you the sustainable energy you crave that is very cheap meaning you can spend money elsewhere.

Renewable energy is the future and biomass heaters sit firmly as one of the technological innovation of contemporary times. If statistics are appropriate non-renewable energy might be gone in Half a century that means no fuel or energy plants to provide heating and electricity to our homes and car.

Renewable sources must be brought into place sooner rather than later globally to save us from a world crisis unprecedented by anything human kind has ever experienced in its existence on earth.

 

hi my name is Thomas Banken

Biomass to Renewable Energy Processes

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Bio Fuels Facts

Continuously increased consumption of fossil fuels, decreased availability of easily accessible fossil fuels, significant contributions to climate change and wildly fluctuating fuels prices have combine to challenge the reliability and sustainability of our current energy supply. A possible solution to this energy challenge, biomass energy production, heavily dependent on sugarcane and corn production, is vulnerable to the fluctuation of the feedstock price. New technologies need to be developed to convert abundant biomass such as lignocellulosic materials into energy products in a cost-effective and environmentally friendly manner.

An introduction to fundamental principles and practical applications, Biomass to Renewable Energy Processes explains the theories of biological processes, biomass materials and logistics, and conversion technologies for bioenergy products such as biogas, ethanol, butanol, biodiesel, and synthetic gases. The book discusses anaerobic digestion of waste materials for biogas and hydrogen production, bioethanol and biobutanol production from starch and cellulose, and biodiesel production from plant oils. It addresses thermal processes, including gasification and pyrolysis of agricultural residues and woody biomass. The text also covers pretreatment technologies, enzymatic reactions, fermentation, and microbiological metabolisms and pathways. It explores the engineering principles of biomass gasification and pyrolysis and potential end-products.

Editor Jay Cheng has assembled contributors from multiple engineering disciplines, reflecting the breadth and depth of the field. These experts discuss the fundamental principles of the processes for bioenergy production, supplying the background needed to understand and develop biofuel technologies. They provide the foundation for future work and development on what can be a clean, green, renewable, and sustainable energy source for years to come.

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