COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE

1338 ARLEGUI STREET, QUIAPO, MANILA

FRANCO, REINIER M.
ME 405 – ALTERNATIVE SOURCES OF ENERGY – ME41S1
TOPIC: BIOMASS ENERGY

REFLECTION PAPER

Many conventional energy sources, like fossil fuels, come with seriously harmful
environmental impacts. Scientists predict that without major adjustments to save the
environment, biomass energy can form part of the solution.
Biomass energy simply means pulling energy from living things. When prehistoric
humans first harnessed the power of fire, we started using biomass energy. One of the best
ways to extract energy from once-living plant matter is to burn it. In short, biomass means
using organic matter for energy. This can include wood and other plant matter, but it can also
include other surprising energy sources, like animal dung. The sources of biomass energy
are known as feedstocks. Biofuels made from plants, like corn, form another type of biomass
energy. These plants are converted into fuels before getting turned into energy, but the
concept remains the same. Most biomass energy is renewable because plants can be grown
and harvested again and again. That’s why biomass is such an environmentally friendly
option.
Biomass contains energy first derived from the sun. Plants absorb the sun’s energy
through photosynthesis, and convert carbon dioxide and water into nutrients (carbohydrates).
The energy from these organisms can be transformed into usable energy through direct and
indirect means. Biomass can be burned to create heat, converted into electricity, or processed
into biofuel. Direct combustion is the most common method for converting biomass to useful
energy. All biomass can be burned directly for heating buildings and water, for industrial
process heat, and for generating electricity in steam turbines. Thermochemical conversion of
biomass includes pyrolysis and gasification. Both are thermal decomposition processes in
which biomass feedstock materials are heated in closed, pressurized vessels
called gasifiers at high temperatures. They mainly differ in the process temperatures and
amount of oxygen present during the conversion process.
In some industries, the waste produced can get used as biomass fuel in different
applications. For example, some industries produce waste products like wood or uneaten
 COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE
1338 ARLEGUI STREET, QUIAPO, MANILA

food. Waste food can be used as compost that will fuel new food growth. In fact, compost can
even create electricity. Composting in an anaerobic (without oxygen) condition creates gas
that, when captured, can be used for electric power. Old vegetable oil can be turned into bio-
fuel to power vehicles. Farm waste, like straw and dung, can be burned and turned into power
or heat. It can also be composted and reused as fertilizer. It is important that people are
careful with how they treat waste. Some waste creates emissions when burned that cause
more harm than good. But many times, industrial and farm waste makes for great biomass
energy sources.
Sometimes, the biomass feedstocks don’t come from waste. Many crops are grown
specifically because they can be made into useful fuel sources. A wide variety of crops can
be used to make biofuel. Fermented sugar cane and sugar beet can make bioethanol. Fast-
growing trees like poplar get converted into wood chips, which can generate power and heat
as fuel sources. Corn is one of the biggest crops used in biofuels. However, other plants, like
wheat and grasses, also play a role in biofuel production.
Aside from fast-growing crop trees, other wood sources have their own place in
biomass energy production. In fact, wood might be one of the oldest and best-known biofuel
sources. Every time you build a fire, you’re generating heat using biomass energy. There are
many other sources of biomass feedstocks, aside from these basic categories. One of the
biggest challenges is figuring out how to make biomass useful at large scale. As new sources
and methods get tested out, people can make biomass energy more sustainable than ever.