Biomass is the organic material that comes from plants, animals and waste residues. This natural material is used to make fuels, that serve as a source of energy.
Plants contain the solar energy that is absorbed by them during a process called photosynthesis. Once the biomass is burned, the energy in biomass is discharged as heat.
Biomass can be burnt directly or converted to liquid biofuels or biogas that may be used as fuels. Some materials that are used to make biomass fuels are:
- Scrap lumber
- Forest debris
- Certain crops
- Manure and
- Selected types of waste residues.
Biomass energy has many applications, including direct burning for domestic heat, electric generation, co-generation, gasification, and anaerobic digestion.
However, it should be kept in mind that there is still not an ideal energy source, and there are enormous biomass cons too. Within the world these days. Each source has its edges and downsides.
Biomass energy pros and cons hold significant importance because that’s how we comply with the new regulations and powers.
Below, we will discuss different biomass power pros and cons, along with poplar biomass pros and cons.
| PROS OF BIOMASS ENERGY | CONS OF BIOMASS ENERGY |
|---|---|
| 1. It is a Renewable Source of Energy | 1. It causes Deforestation |
| 2. It is Environment-Friendly | 2. It is not clean |
| 3. It’s Dependence on Fossil Fuels | 3. Difficulty in finding Proper Space |
| 4. Biomass is a Multifunctional, Used to Make Different Products. | 4. Efficiency is lower than other fuels |
| 5. Easy Accessibility | 5. It’s still Under Development |
| 6. Cutting out the Waste | 6. A huge land is required |
| 7. It is Costly if we compare to other energy resources. | |
| 8. Not as helpful as alternative sources of energy |
If biomass energy is protecting the environment, it is also causing different harms to it. Some of the most prominent biomass cons are discussed below.
1. It causes Deforestation
One of the bad things about biomass is that wood is a significant source of biomass energy. Its vast quantity is being used to provide a considerable amount of power.
This implies that giant-scale energy production will result in deforestation that will destroy natural habitats.
2. It is not clean
Negative effects of biomass include the factor that is not clean because of the pollution that is created from burning wood and different organic matter.
In some cases, it’s even as bad as pollution coming from coal and various energy resources, as numerous compounds are returning from burning biomass. Although its energy is considered renewable, it’s been tough to prove that it’s clean.
3. Difficulty in finding Proper Space
Another factor in the drawbacks of biomass is that it has been tough to find a biomass energy plant that’s conveniently located. In most of the cases, it is found in urban areas, causing a lot of traffic and pollution.
And it creates issues that are more prominent than actual help.
4. Efficiency is lower than other fuels
Biofuels are not as efficient as natural fuels. An important factor that is being added in the biomass energy cons is that ethanol and different biodiesel products created by biomass are incompetent as compared to petrol.
The biomass still has to be mixed with gasoline, so that it can be used in combustion engines. Except for this, long-term use of ethanol is proved to be harmful to engines. It reduces the engine’s lifespan.
Apart from the different biomass fuel pros and cons, one of the most important drawbacks is that it encourages independence and reduce the dependency on other fossil fuels.
5. It’s still Under Development
Like different sorts of energy resources, plenty of labor and time are needed for having a proper process to create useful biomass energy. Scientists are still functioning in making it more economical.
6. A huge land is required
Biomass energy is currently requiring crops to be planted with the only purpose of using them in biomass energy plants.
This implies that the area which may be used for food production is getting used for manufacturing such kind of energy. It has inflicted scarceness of food in some regions of the globe.
7. It is Costly if we compare to other energy resources.
There is no doubt in the fact that the sole cost of burning biomass is a way lesser than burning fossil fuels, but it is not so simple.
One should have a proper biomass burning plant, transportation services and other things to make it work. The plants and wastes should be transported to a specific place where an energy plant is present.
Biomass energy plants need vast amounts of cash for their production, and in some cases, the expenses aren’t worth the edges. Resource gathering and transportation expenses are high that are continually required daily.
By comparing the process of manufacturing biomass energy with that of fossil fuels, you’ll see that its total costs are much higher.
8. Not as helpful as alternative sources of energy
An important factor involved in creating bioenergy is the need for transporting the plant and the wastes to the plant. For transportation, fuel is used, and that causes pollution.
After this, even for burning the garbage, a natural fuel is needed. The emitted smoke created from it contains carbon of the fuel and biomass both.
Although this sort of energy is renewable, it still needs fossil fuels for its generation, which means that it may not be that helpful as alternative sources of energy.
There has been seen some meaningful biomass pros and cons. Moving towards the advantages of biomass energy. Below are the few pros:
PROS OF BIOMASS ENERGY:
1. It is a Renewable Source of Energy
Most of the fuel in the world is coming from natural and non-renewable resources that we all know are going to be depleted entirely one day.
One of the good things about biomass energy is that it generates power by using renewable assets, which are available in the form of wood waste, handled wood pellets, tree buildup of urban debris.
In general, plants utilize leftover wood coming back from existing sawmill or work ventures. It is more like a recycling process. Firstly, the plants grow.
Then after reaching a certain age, they die, or in the other case, they are used. The waste residues of the particular plant, act as food for the new plant. This circle keeps going. Thus biomass energy is a very reliable source for power.
Simultaneously, animal feces are also used as biomass. They can be used to create biomass energy.
Even after the extinction of hundreds of animals, millions of them still exist around the globe. Thus, until all of the animals and plants do not exist, we can not run short of biomass.
2. It is Environment-Friendly
The distinction between using biomass and using coal or gas is carbon discharge. When we burn biomass, the carbon being discharged is already a part of nature, by being part of the plants naturally.
For coal or gas, their burning releases all the carbon that is stored in them from the earliest stage, probably before hundreds of years.
As additional carbon in the atmosphere is also a severe hazard. Therefore, burning biomass is a way more environment-friendly.
3. It’s Dependence on Fossil Fuels
Biomass is replacing different sources of fuel, and in most cases, fuel has been replaced instantly. This sort of energy uses natural reservoirs for creating energy,
and there will be lesser profit in power that’s created by non-renewable assets like gas and coal. The purpose of using renewable energy is to be dependent on sources which will not disturb nature.
4. Biomass is a MultifunctionalÂ
Biomass is often used to make different products from differing types of organic matter. For instance, it is usually processed to make biodiesel, gas and different biofuels.
Except for this, it may be used with a turbine to come up with electricity or can be used directly as heat too. Moreover, using biomass is also cheaper as compared to the burning of fossil fuels.
5.Easy Accessibility
If we talk about the variety of organic waste such as animal carcasses, dead trees, leaves and grass, etc., all of them are easily available around the globe.
The enormous quantity of waste that might have gone to landfills can be used as energy supply. As long as organic matter or residues from animals and plants exists, biomass energy is rarely progressing to run out.
6.Cutting out the Waste:
With the increase in population, the use of resources and the amount of waste created by humans is also increasing. Consistently, immense amounts of solid waste have been produced that is perishable, utile and toxic.
Not disposing the waste at proper places can cause different problems such as unpleasant smells, diseases, contaminated water or soil.
One of the essential benefits of biomass is that it cuts off all these kinds of waste so that they can no longer sit in landfills. So, you burn the trash and get rid of the debris along with creating energy.
As we have seen the prominent biomass pros and cons. Still, there are some questions which need debate as an answer to them.
IS BIOMASS ENERGY EXPENSIVE?
There is no doubt in the fact that the sole cost of burning biomass is a way lesser than burning fossil fuels, but it is not so simple.
One should have a proper biomass burning plant, transportation services and other things to make it work. The plants and wastes should be transported to a specific place where an energy plant is present.
IS BIOMASS HARMFUL FOR HUMANS?
Talking about biomass, its burning cuts off the wastes and debris which may cause different diseases and contaminations if not disposed of properly.
Burning trash is the best way for doing this. So, in a sense, bioenergy is useful because it prevents human societies from many problems
