What is biomass?

Biomass is organic material made from plants and animals. Biomass contains stored energy from the sun. Plants absorb the sun’s energy in a process called photosynthesis. The chemical energy in plants gets passed on to animals and people that eat them.

What are examples of biomass fuels?

Some examples of biomass fuels are wood, crops, manure, and some garbage. When burned, the chemical energy in biomass is released as heat. If you have a fireplace, the wood you burn in it is a biomass fuel. Wood waste or garbage can be burned to produce steam for making electricity, or to provide heat to industries and homes.

What happens to the chemical energy in biomass?

When burned, the chemical energy in biomass isreleased as heat. If you have a fireplace, thewood you burn in it is a biomass fuel. Woodwaste or garbage can be burned to produce steam for making electricity, or to provide heatto industries and homes.

Does biomass pollute the air?

Biomass can pollute the air when it is burned, though not as much as fossil fuels. Burning biomass fuels does not produce pollutants like sulfur, that can cause acid rain. When burned, biomass does release carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas.