Biomass Energy 1
Biomass Energy
Jason Schenzel
University of Wisconsin-Stout
TECH-532: Futures of Technology (2 credits)
B. Anderson
11/28/2010
Biomass Energy 2
Biomass Energy
Biomass energy is a recent trend that is defined as the process of creating
energy from organic materials made by or comprised of plants and animals. Dauvergne
offers an additional definition of biofuels (2009), “Biofuels are non-petroleum-based
fuels, generally derived from plants and plant oils” (p. 1088). Sources of this organic
material that are used in the biomass energy processes include crops, garbage, trees,
landfills, industrial byproducts, and gasses from excrement from cows and yes humans
too. Each of these different material types have unique processes and challenges to
collecting and harnessing the energy from them. Flisram (2010), “Recent years have
seen a spate of new waste-to-energy processes that are transforming everything from
household trash to sewage sludge into energy” (p. 30). The industry of biomass energy
if successful could bring us one step closer to a world that is less dependent on oil and
other fossil fuels. That is if the investment of time and resources is funneled into the
industry to help work out all of the factors that could make the processes work more
efficiently or are holding back it from becoming a more common place technology in our
world.
Drivers and constraints of biomass energy
Drivers of the trend of the biomass energy industry come from several different
sources. These sources range from the availability and cost of fossil fuels to
environmental conservation to the economy. Carey speaks to the positive effects of
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trading out gasoline for biofuels (2009), “Such a move would slash dependence on oil,
create thousands of jobs, and reduce emissions that contribute to global warming” (p.
38). These factors are all current hot buttons in the current United States political
climate and may help contribute to the growth of the biomass energy industry and the
exploration of new sources of biomass energy.
Morgan (2009) concludes about the impact of the use of woody biomass in
Montana, “…reduce fossil fuels consumption, and increase energy self-reliance and
independence” (p 7). Energy self-reliance and reducing the dependence of oil is an
important driver for biomass energy and could help the United States on several
different fronts. If there is a point at which biomass energy can supplant some of the
need to import petroleum products being imported from other countries then that may
change the world’s political landscape. In addition to political implications biomass
energy could mean more money staying in the United States as well if we are not
having to turn to other countries or companies outside the United States to purchase
fuels from. Cities are looking to go green, while companies have focus on making
money in mind while trying to implement biofuel projected based off waste. (Flisram,
2010, p.30)
Environmental conservation is another driving force behind biomass energy. The
push to find renewable energy sources has gone beyond the wind, solar and hydro
means of the past. Biomass is looking for ways to take additional things that either
occur naturally or are byproducts of waste and turn them into energy. Carney (2009) on
environmental benefits of switchgrass crops, “Those crops will help fight global warming
and improve soil quality by adding carbon to the soil…” (p42) While these crops are
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growing they are naturally removing CO2 from the environment during photosynthesis,
so CO2 generated by them during the process of generating the energy could be less or
neutral. U.S. Energy Information Administration (2010) website states, “Sustainable
cultivation and harvesting of biomass can result in no net increase in CO2 emissions.”
This prospect will be better than the current method of burning fossil fuels which just
generate CO2.
Constraints of biomass energy can been seen coming from the unknown costs
associated with attaining the materials and from the fears that surround the food supply.
With accessibility of some of the forms biomass being located some distance from the
plants that could create additional cost. Questions about the food supply could also be
a constraint as farmers may opt to move their crops from those that feed the population
to those that generate biomass materials and what effect does that have on the food
supply.
One of the constraints can be seen in the cost of transportation or harvesting of
biomass materials. Pool (2010), “…the huge cost of transporting large quantities of
heavy, bulky plant matter to central refineries” (p. 48). There could be unforeseen
expenses that could make biomass a less desirable form of energy. If a biomass plant
will require these massive amounts of materials to produce the energy there will likely
be large amounts of petroleum based fuels that will be needed to get the materials from
point A to point B. Harvesting some of the biomass materials could prove to be
problematic as well. Woody biomass from the forests for example will have challenges
that could arise during harvesting. Accessibility could provide barriers to harvesting
from forests and that would be distance from roads and the grade. Harvesting would be
Biomass Energy 5
limited to a certain distance from existing roads as the equipment that would be used to
harvest need roads to get in and to get the materials out. Another limitation would be
the grade of the landscape as the equipment may also run into trouble navigating hilly of
mountainous areas.
Another constraint can be seen in the issues that surround the food supply and
lands that they are grown on. History has seen instances of anxiety caused by an
imbalance between the food supply and energy as pointed out by Dauvergne (2009) in
his article about biofuels.
The 2007 food crisis, with riots in Haiti, Yemen and Zimbabwe, among other
countries, unexpectedly put biofuels under and intense media spotlight. Some
journalists were calling these ‘food’ riots, while others labeled them ‘fuel’ riots,
attributing the rising process of staple crops (such as rice, wheat and corn) to
causes ranging from biofuels to high oil prices to market speculation in food
commodities. Suddenly the biofuels industry was mired in controversy and bad
press. (p. 1091)
U.S. Energy Information Administration (2010) website on biomass points out,
“Growing plants for biofuels is controversial however, as the land, fertilizers, and energy
used to grow biofuel crops could be used to grow food crops instead.” A good deal of
attention will need to be paid to be careful to not aggravate these anxieties. We must
try to ensure that there is a good balance of crops being produced for both the food
supply and for the generation of biomass materials.
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Factors of success of biomass energy
Factors of success for biomass energy can be seen in the reduction of the
constraints that can act as forces against it. Keeping the costs in check for transporting
and harvesting the biomass materials down will be important. In addition the
perceptions that surround crops and land being used for biomass need to be managed
to ensure that we are not upsetting the balance between the crops that support the food
supply and the crops that support the biomass energy supply.
While biomass is currently a relatively small industry as you look to the future
costs to attain materials for a biomass energy plant could increase. Carey (2009),
“Rising biofuel production, or the burning of biomass to generate electricity, will drive up
demand and prices for the raw materials, just as production of corn ethanol helped raise
the price of that crop” (p. 38). In order for biomass to remain a legitimate means of
energy there may need to be checks and balances in place to ensure that the cost of
the raw materials do not burden the industry or the food supply. We do not want to
aggravate any fears that are associated with changes in the food supply and risk the
problems like what occurred in the 2007 food crisis.
Winners and losers of the biomass industry
Economically the folks that are likely to be the winners will be the ones that have
the capital to make the necessary investments. Carey (2009), “And the probable
winners will be those with deep pockets and patience, such as Royal Dutch Shell, BP,
Biomass Energy 7
DuPont, agricultural giant Archer Daniels Midland, or a rare startup venture with
revenues from another business…” (p. 38). There will be some people that are on the
positive side other than big business and that will be the small farmers that are able to
benefit from growing crops to sell as biomass materials. Carey (2009), “Farmers will
grow millions of acres of switchgrass and other energy crops… (p. 42).
Additionally, the winners out of all of this would be the general population as well.
The result of turning to biofuels should net a decrease in global warming as we look to
reduce the carbon foot print and find new ways to reuse and recycle existing energy
sources. Not only do we win with the environmental implications, but there is also the
hope that more jobs will be created in the United States as we generate these energy
sources on our own soil vs. importing.
The losers of the biomass energy industry will be the flip side of the companies
with deep pockets. The upstarts and other companies that try their hand at the biomass
energy industry and fail will become the losers. Carey (2009), “As for the rest of the
companies, some of their technologies may find a role, but most are not likely to make
it” (p. 42). Some will succeed and some will fail and that is an unfortunate fact, but
those that endure will hopefully be successful in making a cleaner more energy efficient
world.
The countries that we currently import oil from could also become losers if the
biomass energy industry is truly able to reduce or even eliminate the United States
dependency on foreign oil. This could shift the whole world power structure if there is
less dependence on oil. If renewable energy becomes commonplace then there will be
more equity of power.
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Conclusion
Biomass energy seems to have a promise on heading up the two battles that are
currently confronting our society today which are the dependency on petroleum and the
declining state of our environment. Flisram (2010), “And while nobody is claiming that
these new techniques will free us from our dependency on fossil fuels anytime soon,
they do represent an important signal that the nation’s renewable energy portfolio is
becoming more diversified” (p. 31). While biomass energy may not be the answer to all
of the facets that surround these problems it may help us make strides to make this
world a better place to live in.
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References
Flisram, G. (2010). Favorably Disposed Putting waste to good use. (cover story).
Planning, 76(7), 30-34. Retrieved from Business Source Premier database.
Pool, R. (2010). Mobile plants drive biofuel production. Engineering & Technology
(17509637), 5(13), 48-49. doi:10.1049/et.2010.1311.
Carey, J. (2009). THE BIOFUEL BUBBLE. BusinessWeek, (4128), 38-42. Retrieved
from Business Source Premier database.
Dauvergne, P., & Neville, K. (2009). The Changing North-South and South-South
Political Economy of Biofuels. Third World Quarterly, 30(6), 1087-1102.
doi:10.1080/01436590903037341.
Morgan, T. (2009). Woody Biomass. Montana Business Quarterly, 47(4), 2-7. Retrieved
from Business Source Premier database.
U.S. Energy Information Administration (2010, November 20) Energy Kids: Biomass.
Retrieved from http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/energy.cfm?page=biomass_home-
basics-k.cfm
