Biomass Power

Biomass power, to distinguish it from biofuels used in vehicles and home heating, refers to biomass which is directly burned (combusted) to generate electricity in a power plant. Some feedstocks will overlap; others can only be used one way. The technological and socio-political issues, however, differ greatly. While the debate over biofuel infrastructure continues in the media, co-firing biomass power plants are well-tested and already used in 49 states.

Virginia is no exception to that trend; the Commonwealth already produces some megawatts of electricity from wood-fired generators and could produce substantially more. Wood, warm season grasses, municipal waste and landfill gases can easily be burned to produce electricity.

Cellulosic material can be co-fired with coal to lessen carbon loading, as well as reduce other pollutants associated with burning coal. The efficient use of biomass electricity, for example, could postpone or even cancel the need for new coal fired plants and the unhealthy mountaintop removal practices used to feed them.

The U.S. Department of Energy's Biomass Power Program at NREL has and excellent introduction to biomass co-firing available as a .PDF file at http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy99osti/24933.pdf.

Other Subsections in Biomass Energy

• Issue Summary
• Biofuels
• Our Bioenergy Future
• Virginia Biomass Energy Group
• Resources Online