Biomass Sources

Biomass is a renewable form of energy which has been overlooked for the last fifty to sixty years. Fossil fuels have taken the majority of market share to provide heating, electricity and transportation fuels. However this global romance with fossil fuel energy is now fading due to high prices, supply problems and environmental impact. Now, biomass is been looked at again, but with new biomass fuels. Now biomass can be processed into advanced solid fuels, and even liquid and gaseous fuels. In fact biomass can be used to produce alternatives for every form of fossil fuel energy we currently use. More than this, creating this fuels for biomass has a more stable supply, will provide significant economic support, be affordable and also help to reduce climate change. Therefore is it clear that biomass can play a huge role in the global energy market. So what are the sources of biomass that are available to us to be processed into efficient energy.

Biomass Waste Sources of Energy

Even today, many potential sources of biomass energy are still regarded as wasted, and treated as such and sent to landfill. For many authorities and companies removing this waste is very expensive, where it could in fact generate an additional income. There are many examples of this, and one clear example is the woody biomass generated from woodland management and tree surgery operations. Woodland and tree management is crucial to maintain the health of individual tress and surrounding woodland. Generally this waste is shredded and left on the woodland floor, or within inner city areas sometimes this waste is sent to landfill. This woody biomass could be dried and processed into wood fuel pellets. These pellets could then be sold locally for a variety of heating requirement. Jobs would be created in the production and distribution of this fuel. It would therefore create jobs and provide an additional income for the owners of the pellet production operation. By local consumers using the fuel also reduces their carbon footprint, not only by the fact that they are using a renewable and low carbon fuel source but also using a fuel which has the minimal amount of transportation possible.

Biomass Combustion and Pellet Fuels

Burning pellets, it a much more efficient means to take advantage of the biomass sources than simply burning logs. Logs have a high moisture content and minimum surface area. Upgrading the wood into pellets creates a fuel which produces more heat and less smoke, this is due to a lower moisture content, increased density and large combustion surface area. Pellets can be created from a variety of biomass sources not only wood. This means a wide variety of biomass sources currently regarded as waste could be used for energy.

Biomass Fuel Pellet Production Solutions

Biomass pellet fuel is not a simple process, however with the right knowledge and equipment a reliable and consistent supply of pellets can be produced. For woody biomass, the wood is first chipped and then sent through a hammer mill for further size reduction. the wood particles are then dried to around 15%, and then metered into the pellet mill. Wood pellet mills have specific features such as a lower rotation speed.

Biomass Pellet Mill Guide

The Wood Pellet Production Guide © PelHeat Ltd - Biomass Sources