Biomass
Biomass can be defined as organic material that comes from plants and animals. It contains energy stored from the sun which is initially absorbed through plant's photosynthesis. When biomass is burned, the chemical energy found inside is released. Biomass can be burned directly or converted to liquid biofuels or biogas that can be burned as fuels.
For example:
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Wood and wood waste: They are usually burned as a fuel.
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Agricultural crops: This type of biomass is usually converted to liquid biofuels although sometimes may be directly burned
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Food, yard, and wood waste in garbage: Burned to generate electricity in power plants or converted to biogas in landfills
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Animal manure and human sewage: They are converted to biogas in almost every situation
After the biomass is combusted the pressurized water is heated to high temperature. Steam from the boiler powers the turbine, which is connected to the generator. In a CHP plant, steam that has passed through the turbine, heats district heating water, which is distributed through the district heating network's piping.
The following graph shows the total biomass energy consumption worldwide:
Advantages:
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Renewable source of energy
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Carbon neutral
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Widely available
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Helps reduce waste
Disadvantages:
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Less efficient than fossil fuels
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Less clean than other renewable sources
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Relatively expensive
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Can lead to deforestation
Biomass Heating Plant Krumpendorf
Location; Krumpendorf, Carinthia, Austria
Capacity; 3.3 MW
Drax Power Station
Location; North Yorkshine, England
Capacity; 2.6 GW capacity for biomass and 1.29 GW capacity for coal
Location: Alholmen, Jakobstad, Finland.
Capacity: 265 MWe + 160 MWt
Location: Dangjin, Chungnam Province, South Korea.
Capacity: 105 MWe
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