10 Meaningful Pros and Cons of Biomass Energy

Biomass is just another term for materials that come from plants and animals. They also contain stored energy and when burned, the energy stored in them is released as heat. It is also known as a renewable energy source. Wood is one good example of biomass.

As mentioned, biomass is material from plants and animals. Photosynthesis is the process where plants absorb energy from the sun. This is an explanation for why biomass contains stored energy. Also, the energy absorbed by plants is transferred to animals when they eat plants.

Although carbon dioxide is released when biomass is burned, plants absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and make use of it – grow leaves, flowers, branches and stems. When plants are burned, that same carbon dioxide are returned to the air. This is the reason biomass energy is called renewable energy.

There are certain kinds of biomass (such as corn, wood chips and some types of garbage) that can be used to produce electricity. Other types can be converted into liquid fuels (called biofuels) that are used to power cars, trucks and tractors. Biodiesel can also be created from leftover food products such as vegetable oils and animal fats. Also, ethanol is produced from fermenting corn, sugarcane and other plants. Biomass energy is a controversial form of alternative energy. As such, using it as an energy source comes with pros and cons.

List of Pros of Biomass Energy

1. It is renewable
One of the biggest advantages of biomass energy is that it can generate power using renewable assets. These assets can come in the form of wood waste, urban waste, tree buildup and handled wood pellets.

2. It reduces dependency on fossil fuels
Fossil fuels are non-renewable energy sources. Examples of these are coal and gas but these are harmful to the environment. The purpose of utilizing biomass energy more is to lessen the reliance on sources that are bad for nature. After all, using biomass energy is making use of natural materials in order to deliver power.

3. It doesn’t produce carbon
Carbon dioxide is released when biomass is burned. This is unlike burning coal or gas where it is already expelled from the beginning because it has been stored in it for a long time – a number of years even.

4. It is widely available
Biomass energy can be found anywhere in the world. Simply taking a look outside one’s window reveals sources for energy. For instance, the dead leaves, grass and trees can be burned to produce energy. Animal carcasses can also be used to create biomass energy. Making use of these materials lessens the amount of waste that we are sending to landfills. Materials from plants and animals are organic and are better for the environment.

5. It can be used in many forms
Different products can be produced from various kinds of organic matter. For instance, biomass can be used to create biodiesel, biofuels and methane gas. Biomass can be used as heat directly or it can be used to generate electricity.

List of Cons of Biomass Energy

1. It is not 100% clean when burned
One of the biggest arguments against using biomass as clean energy is that it creates pollution when burned. Yes, the material is organic but burning materials such as wood and other natural materials isn’t 100% clean. The pollution coming from it can be likened to those emitted by coal and other kinds of energy resources. Despite biomass energy being considered as a renewable source, it is difficult to say it is clean or efficient.

2. It relies heavily on natural materials
While the use of natural materials can be seen as good, a large amount needs to be burned in order to produce a considerable amount of power. For instance, wood is a major source of biomass energy but a lot needs to be burned in order to produce energy on a large scale. Using lots of wood can then lead to deforestation which would then destroy the home of many plants and animals.

3. It is not entirely efficient
Ethanol is one of the products of biomass and it is considered to be inefficient compared to gasoline. For example, it has to be combined with gasoline in order for it to be used in combustion engines. Not only that, long-term use of ethanol is seen as harmful to engines.

4. It needs a lot of space
Biomass energy plants are rarely found in areas that are considered convenient For instance, most of the plants are found in urban areas and as such, they cause a lot of traffic. This also means that a lot of pollution is also produced. This scenario causes much more trouble than it helps.

5. It is expensive
The process of producing biomass energy is expensive. Most of the time, the cost is not even worth the benefits. The transport and gathering of resources also costs a lot of money and it’s a process that needs to be repeated for a number of days. In fact, the processing costs of biomass energy is so much more expensive than fossil fuels.

When producing biomass energy, materials still need to be transported to a plant where it will be processed. The entire process also creates carbon emissions and pollution. As such, the production of biomass energy is not only seen as expensive but also harmful for the environment.

Sometimes, others feel that crops are planted just to produce fuel in order to provide power to biomass plants. This means that lands used for planting these crops are no longer used for planting food sources.

Conclusion

Advances are still being made with regards to how biomass energy can be created without hurting nature and without costing too much. Scientists are also working on different ways to make the production of biomass energy more effective and efficient. Just like with other alternative energy sources, using biomass energy comes with its own pros and cons.