Biomass Energy in Africa
In my previous blogs, I talked much about the benefits of renewable energy and its different forms, namely: geothermal, wind, community energy, and waste-to-energy. In this article I will introduce yet another source of renewable energy that has been showing a lot of promise for African countries: biomass. Biomass is organic matter, or matter that comes from a living or recently living organism, that can be transformed to energy through either thermal, chemical or biochemical processes. Perhaps the biggest benefit of biomass is that is considered as sustainable, clean and ‘green’ energy (i.e. it doesn’t emit too much carbon and doesn’t contribute to global warming). This energy source is has particularly been proven useful for most of Africa. As I have pointed out several times before, this doesn’t mean that biomass should replace petroleum as Africa’s primary energy source. Tagged as: Biochemical, Biomass, Clean Energy, Energy
Gasification
Gasification is a process that converts organic or fossil based carbonaceous materials into carbon monoxide, hydrogen and carbon dioxide. This is achieved by reacting the material at high temperatures (>700 °C), without combustion, with a controlled amount of oxygen and/or steam. The resulting gas mixture is called syngas (from synthesis gas or synthetic gas) or producer gas and is itself a fuel. The power derived from gasification and combustion of the resultant gas is considered to be a source of renewable energy if the gasified compounds were obtained from biomass.[1][2][3][4] The advantage of gasification is that using the syngas is potentially more efficient than direct combustion of the original fuel because it can be combusted at higher temperatures or even in fuel cells, so that the thermodynamic upper limit to the efficiency defined by Carnot's rule is higher or not applicable. History[edit] [edit] In a gasifier, the carbonaceous material undergoes several different processes:
Drax power station
Drax is a large coal-fired power station in North Yorkshire, England, capable of co-firing biomass and petcoke, and its name comes from the nearby village of Drax. It is situated on the River Ouse between Selby and Goole. Its generating capacity of 3,960 megawatts is the highest of any power station in the United Kingdom and Western Europe, providing about 7% of the United Kingdom's electricity supply. Opened in 1974 and extended in the mid-1980s, the station was initially operated by the Central Electricity Generating Board. Since privatisation in 1990 ownership has changed several times, and it is operated by Drax Group plc. Completed in 1986, it is the newest coal-fired power station in England, flue gas desulphurisation equipment was fitted between 1988 and 1995; high and low pressure turbines were replaced between 2007 and 2012. History[edit] see also §Protests, industrial action and incidents Delivery of a Babcock steam drum during construction (1974) Construction[edit] Future[edit]
Advantages and Disadvantages of Biomass
Speaking of resources, the world changes pace everyday. First there was evolution which took us from wood to steel to iron (and more), then development happened and took us to the stage that we are in now. Now we see that there are distinct shifts in policies which have taken us back to our roots and have been able to reacquaint us with the natural resources that we once used. One of those resources was biomass. What is Biomass Biomass is biological matter that is acquired from plants and animals and has large amounts of carbon as well as traces of oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, alkaline earth and heavy metals in it. The main sources that are used to formulate biomass are wood, alcohol fuels and solid waste. Advantages of Biomass Uses Renewable Resources: Biomass is derived from sources like plants and animals, in short, sources which are replaceable. Reduces Pollution: This works on a lot of levels. Disadvantages of Biomass
How Biomass Energy Works
Biomass is a combination of organic and biological materials usually composed of both plants and animals. It is composed of stored energy derived from the sun, and can release a new source of energy when physical and chemical processes are applied to it. Most biomasses materials come from wood, trees, grasses, agricultural crops, garbage and other urban wastes. Human and animal wastes are sources for biomass energy too. • The most well known source of biomass energy is by burning of wood. • There is another simple way of how biomass energy works. • Agricultural crops like corn and sugarcane undergo the fermentation process to produce fuel like ethanol, which is used for trucks, cars and other means of transport. • Vegetable oils and animal fats can be converted to produce biodiesel which is also used in vehicles and other kinds of transportation.
The Energy Story - Chapter 10: Biomass Energy
Biomass is matter usually thought of as garbage. Some of it is just stuff lying around -- dead trees, tree branches, yard clippings, left-over crops, wood chips (like in the picture to the right), and bark and sawdust from lumber mills. It can even include used tires and livestock manure. Your trash, paper products that can't be recycled into other paper products, and other household waste are normally sent to the dump. Your trash contains some types of biomass that can be reused. Recycling biomass for fuel and other uses cuts down on the need for "landfills" to hold garbage. This stuff nobody seems to want can be used to produce electricity, heat, compost material or fuels. California produces more than 60 million bone dry tons of biomass each year. If all of it was used, the 60 million tons of biomass in California could make close to 2,000 megawatts of electricity for California's growing population and economy. How biomass works is very simple.
Biomass Energy Pros and Cons - Energy Informative
Biomass is organic matter from plants and animals (microorganisms). Photosynthesis is the name process that stores the energy from sunlight in plants. Animals get this energy through eating the plants. Waste such as crops, manure and garbage are all excellent sources of biomass fuel. Biomass has a wide array of uses such as directly as heat or to generate electricity with a steam turbine. Advantages of Biomass Energy 1. We will always have the sources of biomass such as crops, manure and garbage. 2. This is maybe most important of the advantages of biomass energy. 3. Energy harnessed from biomass is inexpensive compared to coal and oil. 4. Biomass is available in large quantities all over the world. Disadvantages of Biomass Energy 1. Extraction of biomasses can be expensive. 2. We need big areas for all the different processes that are required in harnessing energy from biomass. There is no doubt that biomass energy is one of the few potential replacements for fossil fuels.
