ENVS 1200 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Biogas, Sulfur Dioxide, Anaerobic Digestion
3 May 2018
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Biomass
Biomass is commonly converted into energy (for example, burning wood for heat or
burning for electricity).
Biomass can either be heated or converted to gaseous (biogas) and liquid biomass
(ethanol, biodiesel) to be used as a source of energy.
Biomass includes:
• Wood logs and pellets
• Charcoal
• Agricultural waste
• Timbering waste
• Animal waste
• Aquatic plants
• Urban wastes
Biomass – recently-formed organic substances
• Most common renewable energy source used
• Traditional and most common use of biomass is burning wood for
heating and cooking
Biomass energy innovations include:
• Burning biomass water to generate electricity: biopower
• Processing biomass to form biofuels
• Capturing methane released from anaerobic decomposition in landfills and
manure
Biomass energy brings environmental and economic benefits:
• It is essentially carbon-neutral releasing no carbon into atmosphere
o Only if not overharvested
• Economic benefits include
o Supporting rural communities
o Reducing dependence of fossil fuel imports
o Reduces air pollutants such as sulfur dioxide
New biomass strategies are being developed in industrialized countries:
• Direct combustion….
Biogas for power:
Case Study: Ethanol or Biodiesel?
• Transportation makes up 30% of our energy demand in Canada. Do biofuels
have a role to play in reducing carbon dioxide emissions?
• Which is better ethanol or biodiesel?
• Corn to ethanol vs. soybean to biodiesel
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Biomass is commonly converted into energy (for example, burning wood for heat or burning for electricity). Biomass can either be heated or converted to gaseous (biogas) and liquid biomass (ethanol, biodiesel) to be used as a source of energy. Biomass includes: wood logs and pellets, charcoal, agricultural waste, timbering waste, animal waste, aquatic plants, urban wastes. Biomass recently-formed organic substances: most common renewable energy source used, traditional and most common use of biomass is burning wood for heating and cooking. Biomass energy innovations include: burning biomass water to generate electricity: biopower, processing biomass to form biofuels, capturing methane released from anaerobic decomposition in landfills and manure. It is essentially carbon-neutral releasing no carbon into atmosphere: only if not overharvested, economic benefits include, supporting rural communities, reducing dependence of fossil fuel imports, reduces air pollutants such as sulfur dioxide. New biomass strategies are being developed in industrialized countries: direct combustion .
