Biomass Power

Generating power or electrical energy is an area of concern. Currently the majority of our power comes from none renewable sources of energy. These forms of energy are expensive and in general produce dangerous carbon emissions associated with an increase in global CO2, and thus an increase in climate change. CO2 acts as a reflector for the suns energy. As the suns energy enters the atmosphere, most of that energy should then be reflected back into outer space. However carbon dioxide acts a mirror, reflecting the energy back at the earth, leading to an increase in temperature. Therefore the more CO2 we place in the atmosphere through burning fossil fuels, the more energy is reflected, and the greater the impact on the global temperature. Therefore scientists and governments around the world are looking to source power from biomass. As basic example of this is how wood pellets are been used in coal power plants. Wind and solar are other options that can also generate power, however they cannot generate power on demand like biomass can. The easiest way to look at biomass is as a vast store of solar energy.

Biomass Cogeneration and Electricity

Generally as described with using wood pellets in coal power plants, to generate power from biomass requires combustion. Combustion is a thermochemical process, and heat is the by product. Due this fact is generally makes sense to try and generate both heat and electricity at the same time with biomass. This can even be achieved on the smallest scale. In fact many scientists believe the future power network will be made up more of small localized power contributors than a few large centralized power plants. The two main ways to generate both heat and power from biomass on a smaller scale are either using a modern closed loop steam engine, or a gasifier. Today there have been huge advancements in steam engine technology, and new advanced steam generators will be on the market by 2011. With a steam generator, a percentage of heat generated from your pellet stove or boiler will power the generator. You will then be producing both heat and power from your pellets. The power you don't use can be sold back into the grid. Many countries now are provide a series of financial incentives. By installing a pellet heating system which also produced power, you could be getting paid by the power company and the government to heat and power your home. A gasifier, which breaks biomass down into syngas can then be used to run an engine to power a generator. Again a typical internal combustion engine generates one part heat to one part power.

Biomass Fuel and Biomass Fuel Pellets

To use biomass to generate power is much simpler in pellet form. A pellet is simply a compressed form of biomass. Biomass fuel pellets can be made from wood, straws, grasses, hemp, miscanthus etc.

Biomass Plants For Making Pellet Fuels

The Wood Pellet Production Guide © PelHeat Ltd - Biomass Power