What are the benefits of bio energy?

The main benefits of bio energy is that by getting sources of fuel from living things it is renewable and as such is much better for the environment. Although living organisms originally formed fossil fuels eons ago it takes millions of years to replace fossil fuels. To be considered as renewable, the resources which we use have to be replaceable within our lifetime, for example if we burn wood then the trees are replaced as the forest grows back.

Fuel from fibre

Almost all green plants have large amounts of a substance called cellulose; this is one of the chief ingredients found in wood and is what is extracted for use in papermaking. When plants photosynthesise, they manufacture cellulose from sugar and because it is made from sugar, it contains a lot of stored chemical energy, this chemical energy is then released as heat when the wood is burnt.

Wood has always been a major source of heating fuel for centuries and in many countries, it is still the number one choice for heating and cooking, in places where there isn’t an abundance of wood other plant material such as peat, grass and even cow manure are used as fuel.

All of these are considered to be sources of renewable energy as they grow back as soon as they are used up, it is only when forests are harvested too rapidly or events occur which damage the surrounding soil and other parts of the eco system that severe environmental problems start to occur.

Biogas

Almost all mammals including humans produce a flammable gas called biogas when they digest their food, it is produced when the bacteria living in the digestive system breaks down cellulose present in food and produces methane. Biogas is also found in any parts of the land where there are large amounts of rotting vegetation and can be used as an alternative for natural gas in heating and cooking.

As this is a relatively easy process it wasn’t long before we copied the process in large tanks which are known as biogas generators, the process is started by shredding plant materials and animal waste and then mixing these with water in the biogas containers. As the products arrive with many kinds of bacteria they are sealed in so that air cannot get to them and within a short period of time, a certain bacteria present will begin to produce biogas.

As the bacteria produce methane, they are known as methanogenic, as the biogas bubbles begins to form they will collect at the top of the tank which is then in turn piped to a large balloon type bag where they are stored until needed.

Over time, the production of the biogas will slow down and the process is continued with the addition of more water and manure, as the old content can no longer produce methane it is dried to form a rich black soil that can be used as fertiliser. A big source of biogas is produced at landfills where the waste matter is put underground and is used to heat buildings near the landfill; this is bio energy in its simplest form.