Burning biomass energy

Ever since humans first huddled around a fire forelectricity. "Electricity generation is the single largest
warmth, people have burned logs, straw, wood andindustrial polluter in the United States," says Alan
animal waste--otherwise known as biomass--to createNogee, energy program director at the Union of
energy. Indeed, throughout most of history, these crudeConcerned Scientists. "One-fourth of the primary
forms of fuel answered the world's energy needs.emissions that lead to smog, one-third of the emissions
Only after the industrial age matured did peoplethat cause global warming and two-thirds of the
abandon biomass for the modern conveniences andemissions that contribute to acid rain can be attributed
the relatively low costs of power provided by fossildirectly to electric power plants."
fuels and electricity. Today, with 82 percent of U. S.By 2020, the Union of Concerned Scientists would like
energy supplied by fossil fuels, biomass appears to beto see 13 to 20 percent of this country's electricity
coming back into vogue as one of the top contendersproduced from biomass power plants, says Nogee.
for replacing these finite and polluting resources.Currently, bioenergy resources supply only three
"Global warming issues have forced exploration ofpercent of U.S. heating and electric power needs.
bioenergy as an alternative to oil and coal," saysTransportation fuels offer another application for
Anders Evald, a research technologist at the Centrebiomass technology. "Consumers used 100 billion
for Biomass Technology in Denmark. The center is agallons of gas in their vehicles last year" says Gerson
national organization that works with other EuropeanSantos-Lyon, program manager of the BioEthanol
institutions and companies to research and developProgram at the Department of Energy. Vehicle
bioenergy products. "Biomass can also include biofuels,emissions cause 60 percent of the urban air pollution.
gaseous fuels for engines and turbine applications,"Biofuels, such as ethanol, can reduce carbon dioxide,
says Evald. "The framework under which all this takesozone formation and carbon monoxide by as much as
place is very, very different from one region of the90 percent.
world to another. Biomass is used in everything from"The use of ethanol is both a cost and a supply issue,"
the fireplaces of third world nations to modern steamsays Santos-Lyon. Most ethanol is made from corn, an
cycle systems that create both heat and power inenergy- and labor-intensive row crop. With only 1.6
industrial countries," he adds.billion gallons of ethanol manufactured last year, this
Biomass energy is considered a renewable orfuel accounted for just over one percent of total U.S.
sustainable energy because of its dosed carbon cycle.fuel consumption. Researchers at the National
Since trees use as much carbon dioxide during theirRenewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colorado,
growth as they add to the atmosphere when burned,are investigating ways to use more of the corn plant in
there is no net gain in carbon dioxide--the leadingthe manufacture of ethanol, as well as experimenting
offender of the greenhouse gases.with genetically engineered microorganisms to create a
President Clinton's 2001 budget includes a new initiativepollution-saving fuel from agricultural wastes. The goal
aimed at tripling the use of bio-based products andof National Renewable Energy Laboratory is to reduce
bioenergy by 2010. For these purposes, thethe cost of ethanol from $1.22 per gallon to 60 or 70
Department of Energy would receive $49 million, andcents within a decade, while increasing the fuel's
$194 million is slated for the U.S. Department ofavailability.
Agriculture in the President's proposed legislation.Every biomass source has critics and supporters.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has already begunEven within the scientific community, experts debate
investigating energy crops--such as alfalfa--as a waythe qualities of various biofuels, the consequences and
to increase the nation's biomass inventory. "Energybenefits of a managed forest, and the ethics of
crops require less fertilizer and prevent erosion," saysgenetically modified crops. Ethanol has become a
Roger Conway, director of the Office of Energypolitical football, the subsidies for which are fiercely
Policy and New Uses at the U.S. Department ofdefended by Midwestern farmers and farm-state
Agriculture. "As a possible income source, these cropspoliticians.
can buttress the farm economy, promote rural"There is a potential for abuse in creating energy from
development and add employment opportunities. And,biomass," says Wenonah Hauter, president of Public
by using subsidized land for these plants, the resultingCitizen's Critical Mass Energy Project. The project,
crops will reduce the $22 billion the government paysfounded by Ralph Nader, works to protect America's
to property owners."natural resources by promoting renewable and
Farmers in Chariton Valley, Iowa, are growing andenergy-efficient technologies. "Logging old-growth
harvesting switchgrass on marginal land. Theforests would be unacceptable, as is burning municipal
switchgrass will be burned with coal to producesolid waste," says Hauter.