Biomass is one of the oldest forms of energy, used by our ancient ancestors since basically the discovery of fire. In 2002, biomass supplied about 47 percent of all green energy used in the US and, up until recent times, has produced more energy for the nation than any other form of clean energy. Globally, it meets about 14 percent of the world’s energy needs (SOURCE: OREGON BIOMASS ENERGY). Biomass uses living or recently deceased plant materials and other organic products — such as industrial, domestic and agricultural waste — to produce electricity, heat and fuel. Most bioenergy sources are readily available throughout the world and are directly used to generate biofuel. Some sources include algae, fungi, poplar, sugarcane, switchgrass, corn, miscanthus, willow, hemp, sorghum and eucalyptus trees, to name a few. Other resources are waste products left behind after plant materials have been recently consumed by animals or plant waste left behind from other various purposes. Even leftover cooking oil and coffee grounds can produce clean burning biodiesel. According to recent studies, burning corn ethanol produces CO2 and small quantities of carbon monoxide, soot and other particulates, which are also emitted by combustion of fossil fuels. However, there is a definite positive side to certain sources of biofuel, like algae. It has been reported that a 3 acre algae farm will consume up to 54,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide and produce 29 metric tons of biomass per year. Another major advantage to biofuels is that, if another oil crisis occurs, minimal investment will be needed to convert traditional gasoline engines into biofuel-compatible engines.

Plants and other organic by-products that are not burned as biofuel can be developed in various other ways, such as composting (to make soil fertilizers), fermentation, distillation (to produce ethyl alcohol), anaerobic digestion (using decaying plant matter to produce methane gas and fertilizers), destructive distillation (producing methyl alcohol from high cellulose wastes), hydrogenation (to convert biomass to oil using carbon monoxide and steam), thermal depolymerization (to convert biomass into liquid hydrocarbons), acid hydrolysis (using wood to produce sugars), pyrolysis (using heat on organic wastes to produce gas and char), and hydrogasification which produces methane and ethane for energy. Burning biomass and biofuels can also be used to produce electricity and heat by a process called electrification (SOURCE: WIKI). Biomass can also be used as building materials for construction, as well as biodegradable plastics and paper. Plastic created using biomass is less costly to manufacture and meet most performance standards set in place, but may lack the same durability as conventional plastic. In addition, the use of biomass for energy causes no direct increase of carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the atmosphere, making it a green source of energy; however, this do exclude unrefined plant materials that have been naturally altered during environmental processes**.

** Fossil fuels are not considered clean from any standpoint because considerable amounts of carbon dioxide are released upon combustion, which only aggravates the ongoing problem of climate change.