User:Milton Beychok/Sandbox: Difference between revisions
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'''Biomass''', a source of [[renewable energy]], is [[biology|biological]] material such as wood, wood waste, municipal solid waste, straw, sugar cane, algae, and many other byproducts derived from agricultural and forestry production as well as other sources. Since biomass derives from plants generated by [[solar energy]] in the [[photosynthesis]] process, it can also be defined as the biological material on [[Earth]] that has stored solar energy in the chemical bonds of the organic material. | '''Biomass''', a source of [[renewable energy]], is [[biology|biological]] material such as wood, wood waste, municipal solid waste, straw, sugar cane, algae, and many other byproducts derived from agricultural and forestry production as well as other sources. Since biomass derives from plants generated by [[solar energy]] in the [[photosynthesis]] process, it can also be defined as the biological material on [[Earth]] that has stored solar energy in the chemical bonds of the organic material. | ||
The [[fossil fuels]] ([[coal]], [[ | The [[fossil fuels]] ([[coal]], [[Petroleum crude oil|petroleum]] and [[natural gas]]) are currently thought to have been formed from prehistoric, ancient biomass buried deeply underground over millions of years of [[geological time]]. Therefore, they are not considered to be renewable sources of energy | ||
==Production of fuels and other products from biomass== | ==Production of fuels and other products from biomass== | ||
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===Biomass gasification to produce syngas=== | ===Biomass gasification to produce syngas=== | ||
Gasification is a chemical process that reacts [[Carbon|carbon-containing]] materials (such as coal, | Gasification is a chemical process that reacts [[Carbon|carbon-containing]] materials (such as coal, petroleum or biomass) at high [[temperature]]s with [[air]], or pure [[oxygen]] (O<sub>2</sub>), and [[steam]] to produce a mixture of [[carbon monoxide]] (CO) and [[hydrogen]] (H<sub>2</sub>) commonly called ''syngas'' (a contraction of ''synthesis gas''). | ||
=== Fischer-Tropsch synthesis of liquid hydrocarbons=== | === Fischer-Tropsch synthesis of liquid hydrocarbons=== | ||
Revision as of 14:15, 2 April 2011
Biomass, a source of renewable energy, is biological material such as wood, wood waste, municipal solid waste, straw, sugar cane, algae, and many other byproducts derived from agricultural and forestry production as well as other sources. Since biomass derives from plants generated by solar energy in the photosynthesis process, it can also be defined as the biological material on Earth that has stored solar energy in the chemical bonds of the organic material.
The fossil fuels (coal, petroleum and natural gas) are currently thought to have been formed from prehistoric, ancient biomass buried deeply underground over millions of years of geological time. Therefore, they are not considered to be renewable sources of energy
Production of fuels and other products from biomass
Biomass fuel for electric power production
The direct combustion of biomass for producing heat and electric power provides a ready disposal mechanism for municipal, agricultural, and industrial organic wastes. In 2009, about 11,350 megawatts (MW) of electric power, amounting to 1.1% of the summertime electrical supply in the United States was generated by burning biomass that included: wood, wood waste, municipal solid waste (MSW), landfill gas, and agricultural byproducts and waste.[1]
The New Hope Power Partnership in Florida is the largest biomass power plant in North America. It generates 140 MW of power using uses sugar cane fiber (bagasse) and recycled wood as fuel.[2] It has been in operation for more than 10 years.
Production of liquid transportation fuels
There are several processes available for converting the chemical energy contained in biomass into liquid automotive transport fuels such as biodiesel and ethanol.
Ethanol fuel:
Ethanol fuel is ethyl alcohol (C2H5OH) and it is most often used as an automotive motor fuel, mainly as an additive for gasoline. Ethanol can be produced by fermentation of sugar cane, bagasse, sugar beets, barley, potatoes, corn and many other grains as well as many agricultural byproducts and wastes.
The worldwide production of ethanol for automotive fuel in 2007 was 52,000,000,000 litres. From 2007 to 2008, the share of ethanol in global gasoline use increased from 3.7% to 5.4%.[3] In 2009, worldwide ethanol fuel production reached 73,900,000,000 litres (19,500,000,000 gallons) and was expected to reach 85,900,000,000 litres in 2010.[4]
Ethanol fuel is widely used in Brazil and in the United States, and together both countries were responsible for about 86 percent of the world's ethanol fuel production in 2009.[5]
Biodiesel fuel:
Biodiesel refers to a diesel fuel produced by chemically reacting lipids such as vegetable oils or animal fats with an alcohol such as methyl alcohol (CH3OH). The resulting biodiesel consists of esters of long-chain fatty acids. The process is known as "transesterification" and it may be carried out by several methods: the common batch process, supercritical processes and ultrasonic methods.
In 2009, the worldwide production of biodiesel was 17,900,000,000 litres. The three countries with the largest annual biodiesel production were Germany (16%), France (12%) and the United States (11%).[6]
Biomass gasification to produce syngas
Gasification is a chemical process that reacts carbon-containing materials (such as coal, petroleum or biomass) at high temperatures with air, or pure oxygen (O2), and steam to produce a mixture of carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen (H2) commonly called syngas (a contraction of synthesis gas).
Fischer-Tropsch synthesis of liquid hydrocarbons
References
- ↑ U.S. Electric Net Summer Capacity U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), part of the U.S. Department of Energy
- ↑ Agriculture & Renewable Energy: The Partnership for a New Frontier Florida Power Service Commission (FPSC) Workshop, July 26, 2007.
- ↑ Assessing Biofuels (2009) From the website of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
- ↑ Global ethanol production to reach 85.9 billion litres (22.7 billion gallons) in 2010 March 22, 2010. From the website of the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA).
- ↑ Ethanol Industry Statistics 2009 World Fuel Ethanol Production from the website of the Renewable Fuels Association.
- ↑ Production of biofuels in the world in 2009 August 30, 2010. From the website of the Biofuels Platform published in Switzerland.