Students could write a table to describe these aspects of biofuel, going on to compare them to renewable energy sources such as wind, wave and solar energy. Some plants capture this harmful greenhouse gas in special ways to create a massive storage potential. It is a renewable source of energy. Biomass energy may not capture carbon dioxide efficiently. Biomass energy has abundant availability. The cost of gathering resources required for biofuels is very high compared to the amount of energy generated. Here's the need-to-know stuff about the energy source, biomass! When we look at the positives of biomass energy, this renewable resource seems like a viable alternative to the dirtier fossil fuels that we burn each day. Most parts of the world do not have suitable areas where geothermal energy can be exploited. Biomass refers to any kind of organic matter that is used to create energy. This type of energy does not generate greenhouse gases or cause pollution through oil spills or burning like fossil fuels do. Were already using 54% of the accessible runoff and 26% of evapotranspiration from our ecosystems to meet our water needs. The energy captured is then used for every kind of valuable work, including electricity generation, water desalination, and water pumping. Additional space may also be necessary to grow the organic matter itself; if power companies are growing crops or trees for the sole purpose of bioenergy, rather than using agricultural waste, this contributes to a larger land footprint per unit of electricity production. Hydroelectric power stations, as well as tidal and wave generators, are very reliable, and both hydroelectric power stations and tidal generators produce large amounts of electricity. One reason why biomass is so widely available is because the planet produces a lot of waste. Polymer types and respective properties. Biomass energy generates power using renewable assets which come from sources such . The most common biomass energy materials are plants, wood, and waste. It creates a careful balance where we get to replace everything that gets consumed. ethanol alcohols and carboxylic acids edexcel bbc bitesize Jul 11 2022 ethanol is the alcohol found in beer wine and other . What are the benefits and limitations of using biofuel? Alternatively the students could design a poster advertising the fuel which they think is the most effective energy source. The energy taken from these organisms is transformed into usable energy through direct and indirect means. Advantages of Biogas. The lost energy and mass can be used to fuel the torrefaction process. Plus, it helps reduce waste. Advantages. The biogas can then be combusted to generate energy. Biomass: Should we focus on more eco-friendly renewable energy? 3. Fossil fuels pollute. Biomass energy still creates waste products that can harm the environment. Clearing plants and organic material from the earth can also impact the health of surrounding soil that requires biomass for compost and fertilization. These pollutants have adverse impacts on environmental and human health. Biomass can be transformed into liquid, solid, or gaseous fuels, collectively called bioenergy, through a range of chemical or biological conversions. Is it better to lease or buy solar panels? Catherine is a researcher and content specialist at SolarReviews. Students could draw flow charts, like the one featured in this clip, to track the process of turning biomass into electricity. As a carbon-neutral fuel source, it cancels out many of the climate change issues associated with fossil fuels, plus it has other advantages besides. Several types of rock contain radioactive substances such as uranium. These include biodiesel, made from plant oils, and bioethanol, made by fermenting sugar and . A GCSE study aide on the educational website features a bullet- . Organic materials are only seasonal. Answer: Biomass continues to be an essential fuel in many countries, especially for cooking and heating in developing countries. Several lung diseases are directly associated with the use of biomass energy activities. Wiki User. . Over the years, biomass has become a popular alternative energy source. Plants, for instance, produce biomass energy through photosynthesis. The advantages and disadvantages of biomass energy attempt to turn our waste generation activities into a positive situation. Furthermore, most ethanol-based fuels contain some proportion of gasoline. This means you cant rely on wind to produce electricity whenever you need it. Moreover, the expansion of biofuels technologies will create a stable, domestic energy supply, reducing the vast amount of money spent importing oil from overseas and increasing our countrys national security. About one-fifth of the fossil fuels we use today go directly toward transportation needs. Biomass is a . There are also a number of environmental downsides of biomass that can vary depending on the type of fuel used and how its collected. Even a product like biodiesel is 10% less efficient than the standard fuel that gets used by many in the shipping industry. Carbon Neutral. The heat produced can be the end goal, or it may be used to create steam to turn turbines to generate electricity. The impact of this change could last for more than a century. Once a solar farm is built, there is no need to transport fuel or to store sunlight anywhere. Here are some of the most important disadvantages of solar cells that you need to consider when going solar. Due to the cars that are run by petrol and diesel, oil and its different products are used by the masses. 6 Important Types of Biomass. The production of biomass energy can come with a high price tag. Furthermore, biomass energy plants would need to be located close to sources of biomass material production to make them viable. Geothermal power stations are located in places such as Iceland, California and Italy. Some advantages of using biomass energy in our daily lives are listed below: Though biomass is a renewable source of energy, it has certain disadvantages, which are listed below: The prospective of biomass energy is there for all of us to see. As we said, biomass energy is carbon-neutral. All However, biomass has many advantages over fossil fuels due to reduction of the amount of carbon emissions. On the pros side, bioenergy is a widely available, reliable type of renewable energy. However, even if biomass can be favorably compared to fossil fuels in this regard, theres no contest when it comes to cleaner forms of renewable energy. Other renewable sources are carbon-zero, which is much better when looking to tackle climate change. Even industry leaders have admitted that not all types of biomass are carbon neutral. Be notified when an answer is posted. It reduces our dependence on fossil fuel resources. Bioenergy power plants on the other hand, can be turned on and off at any time to meet energy demand. That means about 10% of our croplands are put to use to create usable biomass. Then we have all of the trash and waste that gets produced by human activities in each country. Through combustion, whether in a home fireplace or an industrial power plant, the biomass generates heat, light, or electricity. We all know that release of vast amounts of carbon contributes greatly to climate change.Biomass energy takes care of this since it is a natural part of the carbon cycle as opposed to fossil-based sources of fuel such as oil, natural gas, and coal.Researchers say that the only carbon emitted to the environment from biomass fuels is the amount that was absorbed by plants in . The cost savings that can become available from fewer imports can turn this renewable resource into a cost-neutral and carbon-neutral proposition that can help economies just as readily as the environment. That means we must use more of it to create the results we need, leading to higher emissions levels over time. Here are a few to keep in mind: On the pros side, bioenergy is a widely available, reliable type of renewable energy. 21 Big Advantages and Disadvantages of Mutual Funds, 23 Biggest Advantages and Disadvantages of Social Media, 18 Major Advantages and Disadvantages of the Payback Period, 20 Advantages and Disadvantages of Leasing a Car, 19 Advantages and Disadvantages of Debt Financing, 24 Key Advantages and Disadvantages of a C Corporation, 16 Biggest Advantages and Disadvantages of Mediation, 18 Advantages and Disadvantages of a Gated Community, 17 Big Advantages and Disadvantages of Focus Groups, 17 Key Advantages and Disadvantages of Corporate Bonds, 19 Major Advantages and Disadvantages of Annuities, 17 Biggest Advantages and Disadvantages of Advertising. It Produces More Energy When Burnt: If you compare oil to other fuel sources, oil has a better burn rate. Some biomass plants rely on algae, which tend to require large amounts of phosphorus fertilizers to produce the amounts needed for energy production. ethanol alcohols and carboxylic acids edexcel bbc bitesize Jul 10 2022 ethanol is the alcohol found in Find out more . Then, the cost of harvesting and transporting biomass materials needs to be considered. In order to use biomass as a fuel, it needs to be converted into energy. The communities and regions where these facilities are available create more particulates and nitrogen oxides. Advantages and disadvantages of biomass energy class 10. Additionally, while oftentimes viewed as an environmentally-friendly alternative to coal, producing electricity from biomass does release pollutants into the air, such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, and more. Factors that affect their properties include impact resistance, ductility, elasticity, translucence, reflectivity and brittleness. However, there are cons to consider: compared to other sources for electricity, biomass can be expensive to gather, transport, and store. If we wanted to use biomass to power homes, energy plants would need to be set up in urban centers for ease of energy use. That said, even though biomass is often more expensive than alternative renewable energy options, the most expensive types of bioenergy are still on-par with or cheaper than fossil fuels: bioenergy does not require drilling into the earth, which carries a high capital (and environmental) cost. Deforestation has a range of devastating impacts on the environment, notably: Furthermore, wood is not the only type of biomass that can contribute to deforestation. Biomass is burned to create heat [] Right now, biomass energy is not as efficient as other energy sources. You can recycle wood and other organic materials, but its not always easy to do. 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