Biomass Energy
Energy – It’s Everywhere!
Biomass to Energy
The Sun is the direct or indirect source of nearly all our
energy on earth.
Energy can change from one form to another.
Plants capture solar energy through photosynthesis to
make food, a type of chemical energy.
Biomass is a name for plant and animal waste used as an
energy source or fuel.
Biofuels are liquid and gas fuels used for transportation,
heat and electricity.
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Solar Energy to Biomass
Green plants act like
small, natural
chemical factories.
Plants use water and
carbon dioxide as raw
materials for making
food.
A green plant uses
the Sun’s energy to
make food and
release oxygen.
3
Biomass to Heat Energy
When we put
firewood in a
fireplace we are
using biomass to
produce heat energy
Many woody plant
parts and forest
products can be
used.
Plants are
renewable, unlike oil,
coal and gasoline.
4
Biomass to Ethanol
Plant sugar, starch
and cellulose can
be turned into ethyl
alcohol (ethanol).
Microorganisms eat
the sugars and
starch to produce
alcohol.
Alcohol can be
used like gasoline.
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Biomass to Methane
Plants decay naturally
through a chemical
change called digestion.
If oxygen is not present
the main products are
carbon dioxide and
methane.
The methane collected is
called natural gas.
Natural gas is one of the
cleanest burning fuels to
use.
6
Biomass to Biodiesel
Vegetable oil
and animal fat
can be used to
make biodiesel
(diesel from
plants).
Biodiesel is
made through a
chemical
change, reacting
oil or fat with
alcohol.
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