10 Advantages and Disadvantages of Biomass energy source with examples
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10 Advantages and Disadvantages of Biomass energy source with examples
Biomass energy or bio energy is a renewable source of energy derived from organic matterlike plant waste and animal waste. The waste can be converted to heat and electricity. It is one of the most essential resources on earth. Hence, the organic matter converted into creating energy is called biomass energy.
Advantages of Biomass Energy
The advantages of biomass energy are as follows:
1). Biomass energy can be easily obtained from living organisms like plants and animalwaste. Eg: animal manure, forest debris and wood chips.
2). Biomass energy is a clean and renewable source of energy so it is always available in abundance.
It can also be stored and used when necessary.
3). The energy is carbon neutral as it does not produce any carbon footprint and hence is safer for the environment than fossil fuels.
4). It lowers our dependence in fossil fuels which causes pollution to the environment.
5). It is affordable and less expensive than fossil fuels.
6). As the wastes produced are used in producing this energy, it reduces the waste in the environment by making proper use of it.
7). The energy is available in large quantity as society is also producing waste like garbage, manure, and biological matter.
8). The producers of waste can make a profitable use of their garbage by utilising it as a form of biomass energy.
9). Bioenergy reduces the wastes dumped on landfills by 60-90 percent, and reduces the landfill disposal cost.
10). Biomass energy is environmental friendly, sustainable, and emits less carbon dioxide.
Disadvantages of Biomass Energy
There are several disadvantages as well of biomass energy, which are:
1). Production of biomass energy leads to deforestation and land degradation.
2). It produces a lot of carbon dioxide during burning which has adverse effects on human health and environment. However, the carbon dioxide produced by it is lower than fossil fuels.
3). As biomass energy is produced from waste, it is not totally a clean source of energy.
4). The production and operating cost of biomass energy is quite high. The transportation cost is expensive too and there are harvesting amounts to be considered as well.
5). It require a lot of land and space to function properly. It is not always very convenient to find huge areas of land and hence, can be difficult.
6). The land used for biomass plants cannot be utilised for agricultural purposes or natural habitat.
7). The carbon dioxide produced results in air pollution and global warming.
8). Biomass energy can be hazardous and cause major health issues in humans. It also has adverse impact on environment.
9). It requires specialised tools for harvesting and processing.
10). It requires large amount of water for the production of electricity and other sources of energy.
Examples of Biomass Energy
Biomass energy can be obtained from organic matters such as plants and animals. Examples of biomass energy are:
• Crops
Crops can be burned to use it as a fuel and liquid biofuels. Fermenting sugarcane juices turns into sugarcane ethanol which is used as a popular vehicle fuel in somecountries.
• Human sewage and Animal Manure
Animal manure or dung and human sewage can be converted into biogas which can be used for burning as a fuel.
• Wood Wastes
Burned wood and wood processing waste can used for generating electricity. Wood is used for several other purposes as well such as cooking, for heating homes, and produce heat in industries.
• Household Wastes
Household wastes is used for generating electricity in power stations and can also be transformed into biogas.
