Biomass

The United States has only 5% of the world's population but contributes a quarter of the total global primary energy demand.

In an age of clearcutting, air pollution, toxic groundwater, and dwindling fossil fuels, it is time to look at what we already produce as sources for more sustainable energy.

Biomass feed stocks can be used to manufacture all of the fuels and chemicals currently being manufactured from fossil fuels. "Feedstock" is any organic matter available on a renewable basis for conversion to energy, including wood and logging residues (sawdust, bark, and edgings), farm animal wastes, the organic portion of municipal solid waste (MSW), municipal biosolids (sewage), and certain types of industrial wastes.  Biomass fuels, or biofuels, are solid, liquid or gas fuels derived from feedstock. Landfill-to-gas methane, biodiesel auto fuel from soybeans, and ethanol-blend gasoline from corn.  And unlike fossil fuels, which take millions of years to reach a usable form, waste biomass is an energy source that can close the loop on many of our recycling and hazardous waste problems.

Environmental Impacts

The most obvious environmental benefit of biomass is the displacement of fossil fuel usage, and the corresponding reduction in air pollution and acid rain.  Another beneficial environmental impact is the recycling of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2). The environmental impact of biomass systems, however, can be negative as the amount of CO2 removed from the atmosphere by the photosynthesis of biomass becomes less than the amount produced during combustion and energy production.

Deforestation is vital to the harvest of woody feedstock and its sustainability. However, clearcutting of trees leads to massive deforestation and erosion across the United States and other parts of the world where clearcutting occurs.  Also, terrestrial biomass is the largest sink known for the removal of atmospheric CO2 via photosynthesis, and by removing plant biomass for fuel, we decrease the CO2 fixation capacity of the earth.