Biomass

Biomass is a renewable energy resource derived from the carbonaceous waste of various human and natural activities. It is derived from numerous sources, including the by-products from the timber industry, agricultural crops, grassy and woody plants, residues from agriculture or forestry, oil-rich algae, and the organic component of municipal and industrial wastes. Biomass is a good substitute for the conventional fossil fuels for heating and energy generation purposes.

Burning biomass releases about the same amount of carbon dioxide as burning fossil fuels. However, fossil fuels release carbon dioxide captured by photosynthesis over its formative years. Biomass, on the other hand, releases carbon dioxide that is largely balanced by the carbon dioxide captured in its own growth (depending how much energy was used to grow, harvest, and process the fuel). Hence, Biomass does not add carbon dioxide to the atmosphere as it absorbs the same amount of carbon in growing as it releases when consumed as a fuel.

Chemical processes like gasification, combustion and pyrolysis convert biomass to useful products, combustion being the most common of them. Each of the technologies mentioned produces a major calorific end product and a mixture of by-products. The processing method is selected on the basis of nature and origin of feed stocks, their physiochemical state and application spectrum of fuel products derived from it.