Biomass provides a surprisingly large amount of the world’s energy- 10% of total global primary energy consumption- but most of that is wood and charcoal gathered and used in the most primitive ways. Biomass is biological material derived from living, or recently living organisms. In the context of biomass for energy this is often used to mean plant based material, but biomass can equally apply to both animal and vegetable derived material. Biomass is carbon based and is composed of a mixture of organic molecules containing hydrogen, usually including atoms of oxygen, often nitrogen and also small quantities of other atoms, including alkali, alkaline earth and heavy metals. These metals are often found in functional molecules such as the porphyrins which include chlorophyll, which contains magnesium. The simplest and oldest way of generating electricity from biomass is to burn it. This is called direct combustion. Direct combustion systems burn biomass in boilers to produce high pressure steam. This steam turns a turbine connected to a generator. As the steam causes the turbine to rotate, the generator turns and electricity is produced. Most of the world’s biomass power plants use direct combustion.
Pros
Made locally with minimum cost
Renewable
Does not depend on Fossil Fuels
CO2 neutral
Promotes energy independence
Converts waste into fuel
Keeps Uk farming land cultivated
Offers hope of rual regeneration
Produces green