Learning activity 4

Evidence: My presentation outline

A. Find a topic of personal interest. Imagine you are going to present that topic
orally to your teacher and classmates at school. For this part of the evidence
you need to carry out exhaustive research in order to be able to present all the
necessary information related to your selected topic. Report the most important
aspects of your research through a brainstorm of the ideas and concepts that
you think will be relevant to the presentation.

Brainstorm

Topic: BIOMASS ENERGY

 Biomass has been the first fuel used by man and the main one until
the industrial revolution.
 As an energy source, it has enormous versatility, allowing it to be
obtain through different procedures, both solid, liquid and gaseous
fuels.
 Its renewable and non-polluting nature and the role it can play in
generating employment and activating the economy of some rural
areas make biomass a clear option for the future.

B. Now, structure your presentation using the Signpost language learnt during this
learning activity. Present your outline through presentation cards. Use as many
cards as you need.

Remember: Each presentation card should include a

heading, a phrase at the bottom, a number and it should be
organized by numbering and bulleting.
 BIOMASS ENERGY

Structure: I’m going to divide this talk into six parts.

1. Definition
2. History
3. Biomass classification according to its origin
a. Natural biomass
b. Residual biomass
c. Energy crops
d. Agricultural surplus
4. Processes of conversion of the biomass into energy
a. Thermochemical processes
b. Biochemical processes
5. Forms of energy produced by biomass
6. Advantages and disadvantages of using biomass

Let’s turn now to the first part: what is biomass energy about?

BIOMASS ENERGY

Definition

Biomass is any material from living organisms such as vegetation, forests,

jungles, aquatic crops, natural forests, agricultural residues, animal wastes,
urban and industrial organic wastes, which can be used to produce energy.

Now, l would like to talk about the origin of this alternative energy… 1
 BIOMASS ENERGY

History

Biomass has been the first fuel used by man and the main one until the
industrial revolution. It was used for cooking, for heating the home, for making
pottery, and later for producing metals and for powering steam engines. It was
precisely these new uses, which promoted the use of coal as a substitute fuel,
in the mid-eighteenth century.

From that moment, other more intensive energy sources began to be used, and
the use of biomass fell to historical lows that coincided with the massive use of
oil derivatives.
Despite this, biomass continues to play a prominent role as an energy source in
different industrial and domestic applications.

Let me put in this way, there are multiple sources of biomass that
generate energy in our environment… 2

BIOMASS ENERGY

Biomass classification according to its origin

a. Natural biomass: it is produced in natural ecosystems.

b. Residual biomass: Includes forest and agricultural waste, waste
produced by forest and agricultural industries, solid urban waste and
biodegradable waste such as livestock effluents, sewage sludge, urban
wastewater, etc.
c. Energy crops: Made for the sole purpose of energy use, characterized
by a large production of living matter per unit of time.
d. Agricultural surplus: Made up of agricultural products that are not used
by man.

But in what way can we take advantage of these biomass sources?

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Through the following processes...
 BIOMASS ENERGY

Processes of conversion of the biomass into energy

Biomass is characterized by having a low carbon content, a high oxygen

content and volatile compounds. These volatile compounds are those that
concentrate a large part of the calorific value of biomass. The calorific value of
biomass depends a lot on the type of biomass considered and its humidity.

The energy use of biomass does not contribute to the increase in greenhouse
gases, since the balance of CO2 emissions into the atmosphere is neutral. In
effect, the CO2 generated in the combustion of biomass is reabsorbed through
photosynthesis in the growth of the plants necessary for its production and,
therefore, does not increase the amount of CO2 present in the atmosphere.

a. Thermochemical processes: They are comprise COMBUSTION,

GASIFICATION and PYROLYSIS, being still in the stage
DEVELOPMENT DIRECT LIQUEFACTION.
b. Biochemical processes: Biochemical processes are based on the
degradation of biomass by the action of microorganisms, and can be
divided into two main groups: those that occur in the absence of air
(anaerobic) and those that occur in the presence of air (aerobic).

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In other words, thanks to the physicochemical characteristics, that
biomass possesses through these specifics conversion processes; there
are different forms of energy that we can obtain...
 BIOMASS ENERGY

Forms of energy produced by biomass

 Heat and steam
 Gaseous fuel
 Biofuel
 Electricity
 Cogeneration

To summarize, this alternative offers us the option of taking advantage of

a large part of the waste we generate in order to contribute to sustainable
processes. 5

BIOMASS ENERGY

Advantages and disadvantages of using biomass

 Solves the problems caused by the uncontrolled destruction of waste,

avoiding environmental contamination (bad odor, fumes ...).
 Decreases the risk of forest fires.
 Its use means a reduction in the consumption of other non-renewable
energy sources, such as coal or oil.

 There is a risk that, due to a lack of control, excessive felling will be

carried out, depleting the plant mass of an area.
 Very small net return. (3 kg of bi-fuel equals 1kg of gasoline)
 The high degree of dispersion of biomass means that its use is not,
at times, economically profitable.
 The biomass combustion process generates carbon dioxide, mainly
responsible for the greenhouse effect, although to a much lesser
extent than fossil fuels.
 It is not a free energy source.
 When cereals are used to produce biofuels, the demand for them has
increased, thus increasing the price of food, mainly damaging the
least developed countries. This phenomenon is called food crisis.
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C. To complete the evidence, you must now write a complete list of references
using the guidelines given by the American Psychological Association (APA). Do
not forget to organize your references alphabetically.

References

Cano, J. G. (2017). Energias Renovables. Medellin. Recuperado el 30 de abril de

2020, de https://www.politecnicodecolombia.edu.co/campus/index.php

Garrido, S. G. (30 de abril de 2020). Plantas de biomasa. Obtenido de Plantas de

biomasa: http://www.plantasdebiomasa.net/que-es-la-biomasa.html

Secretaria de Energia. (28 de mayo de 2008). Energias Renovables 2008 - Energia

Biomasa. Buenos Aires: Secretaria de Energia de Argentina . Obtenido de
http://www.energia.gov.ar/contenidos/archivos/publicaciones/libro_energ
ia_biomasa.pdf

Note: This evidence is an individual activity. Remember to check the learning

guide in order to know if you have done all the assigned activities, know how to
develop them and deliver them correctly.

Criterio de evaluación
Prepara presentaciones orales haciendo uso del vocabulario y las diferentes
estructuras gramaticales requeridas.