the.com/biomass
the sun's leftovers, burned again to pretend we invented fire.
means organic matter from plants and animals that can be converted into energy, essentially recycled sunlight stored in carbon bonds.
from coined mid-20th century from bio (life) plus mass, first used by ecologists measuring total living matter in an ecosystem before energy engineers borrowed the word.
largest sourcewood and agricultural waste, not corn ethanol
efficiency problemphotosynthesis captures under 1 percent of sunlight
carbon debateburning it releases carbon absorbed only decades ago
global scalesupplies about 10 percent of world energy today
for instance
drax power station — uk plant burns 7 million tons of wood pellets yearly
brazilian sugarcane ethanol — powers over 80 percent of brazil's new cars since 2005
cow dung biogas — heats millions of rural indian households daily
algae biofuel — experimental jet fuel tested by the us navy since 2010