BIOMASS AT A GLANCE 

WHAT IS BIOMASS?
              Biomass is any organic matter wood, crops, seaweed, animal wastes that can be used as an energy source. Biomass is probably our oldest source of energy after the sun. For thousands of years, people have burned wood to heat their homes and cook their food. Biomass gets its energy from the sun. All organic matter contains stored energy from the sun. During a process called photosynthesis, sunlight gives plants the energy they need to convert water and carbon dioxide into oxygen and sugars. These sugars, called carbohydrates, supply plants and the animals that eat plants with energy. Foods rich in carbohydrates are a good source of energy for the human body. Biomass is a renewable energy source because its supplies are not limited.

We can always grow trees and crops, and waste will always exist. We use four types of biomass today—wood and agricultural products,solid waste, landfill gas and Biogas, and alcohol fuels (like Ethanol or Bio-diesel). Most biomass used today is home grown energy. Wood—logs, chips, bark, and sawdust accounts for about 44 percent of biomass energy. But any organic matter can produce biomass energy. Other biomass sources can include agricultural waste products like fruit pits and corncobs. Wood and wood waste are used to generate electricity. Much of the electricity is used by the industries making the waste; it is not distributed by utilities, it is a process called co-generation. Paper mills and saw mills use much of their waste products to generate steam and electricity for their use. However, since they use so much energy, they need to buy additional electricity from utilities.
(sources wood pellets)