Approximately 545.8 gigatons of biomass are present on the planet Earth. Surprisingly, bacteria make up 12.8 % of this amount, while plants account for 82.4 %. Animals make up only 0.47 %. Humans only account for 0.01 % of the total biomass on Earth. A sustainable energy source called biomass is created from the carbonaceous waste left over from numerous human and natural processes. It comes from a variety of sources, such as agricultural crops, grassy and woody plants, leftovers from forestry or agriculture, oil-rich algae, and the organic portion of municipal and industrial wastes. For heating and energy generation, biomass is a good alternative to traditional fossil fuels. This article will explain to you about Biomass which will be helpful in preparing the Environment Syllabus for the UPSC Civil Service exam.

Global Biomass Percentage

Biomass - Concept

• Biological material, such as that found in plants and animals, is what is referred to as organic material, or biomass.
• Plants, wood, and waste are the most common biomass materials used for energy. They are referred to as biomass feedstocks.
• A non-renewable energy source that uses biomass is also possible.
• The energy in biomass is initially obtained from the sun: through photosynthesis, plants transform carbon dioxide and water into nutrients (carbohydrates).
• Both direct and indirect methods can be used to convert the energy from these creatures into usable energy.
• Direct combustion of biomass can provide heat, direct conversion of biomass to electricity, or direct conversion of biomass to biofuel (indirect).

Biomass - Products

Biofuel

• Only biomass can be transformed into liquid biofuels like ethanol and biodiesel, making it the only renewable energy source that can do so.
• High-carbohydrate biomass, such as sugar cane, wheat, or corn, is fermented to produce ethanol.
• Ethanol with vegetable, recycled, or animal fat are combined to create biodiesel.
• Gasoline is more efficient than biofuels in operation. They do not produce the emissions associated with fossil fuels, but they can be combined with gasoline to effectively power automobiles and machinery.
• Biocrops must be grown on acres of farmland to produce ethanol (usually corn). An acre of corn yields roughly 1,515 liters (400 gallons) of ethanol.
• However, this leaves the land unusable for growing crops for food or for other purposes.
• Because of the uniformity of planting and the extensive use of pesticides, producing enough maize for ethanol also puts a load on the environment.
• In domestic fireplaces, ethanol has gained popularity as a wood alternative.
• Instead of producing smoke when burned, it produces heat in the form of flames and water vapor.

Biofuel

Biochar

• The light-weight, the black residue that is left over after biomass is pyrolyzed and is composed of carbon and ashes is known as biochar.
• It is useful for environmental and agricultural purposes.
• High levels of methane and carbon dioxide are released into the atmosphere when biomass rots or burns, whether naturally or as a result of human activity.
• Biomass, on the other hand, sequesters, or stores, its carbon content when it is charred.
• Reintroducing biochar to the soil can allow it to continue absorbing carbon, creating sizable carbon sinks—underground reservoirs of sequestered carbon—which can result in reduced carbon emissions and healthier soil.
• The soil is also enriched by biochar. It is permeable. Biochar absorbs and holds onto water and nutrients when applied back to the soil.
• Slash-and-char, a method for using biochar, is utilized in Brazil's Amazon rainforest.
• Plant growth is considerably increased as a result of improving the soil.

Biochar

Black Liquor

• Black liquor, a poisonous liquid with high energy, is created during the papermaking process from wood.
• Black liquor from paper mills was regarded as waste up until the 1930s and thrown into surrounding water sources.
• Black liquor, on the other hand, keeps more than 50% of the biomass energy of the wood.
• The recovery boiler, which was created in the 1930s, allowed black liquor to be recycled and used to drive the mill.
• Because paper mills in the US, run their mills almost exclusively on black liquor, the forest industry is one of the most energy-efficient in the country.
• Sweden has been experimenting more recently with gasifying black liquor to create syngas, which can subsequently be used to produce power.

Black Liquor

Biomass - Potential in India

• Over 70% of the Indian population depends on biomass energy, making it one of the most significant sources of energy. It accounts for 32% of the primary energy used in the nation.
• The present biomass supply is estimated to be between 450 and 500 million tonnes per year, which translates to a potential of roughly 18000 MW.
• Additionally, the 550 sugar mills in the nation may create an extra 5000 MW of power using bagasse-based cogeneration.
• It draws more than Rs 600 crore in investments each year, employing more than 10 million people in rural areas and producing more than 5000 million units of power.

Biomass - Installed Capacity in India

• For the purpose of supplying electricity to the grid, over 300 biomass power and cogeneration plants totaling 3700 MW have been erected in the nation.
• Additionally, 30 biomass power plants totaling about 350MW are in various phases of development.
• The top states for implementing bagasse cogeneration projects are Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh.
• Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Tamil Nadu have assumed leadership roles in biomass power plants.
• By 2020, the government intends to use biodiesel to satisfy 20% of the nation's diesel needs.
• Wild plants including Jatropha curcas, neem, mahua, Karanja, Simarouba (exotic tree), etc. have been discovered as potential sources of biodiesel production.
• Jatropha cultivation on wastelands is being encouraged through a number of incentive programs.
• The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) offers Central Finance Assistance (CFA) to biomass energy projects in India in the form of capital subsidies and financial incentives.

Statewise Installed Capacity of Biomass in India

Biomass - Advantages

• Clean And Sustainable: Using biomass as energy is clean and sustainable. Plant or algae biomass may regenerate quickly since it receives its initial energy from the sun.
• Waste Management: Municipal solid waste, trees, and crops are all readily available and may be managed responsibly.
• Reduction in Carbon Emission: When crops and trees are grown responsibly, they can reduce carbon emissions by absorbing carbon dioxide during respiration.
• Carbon Absorption: The quantity of carbon that is reabsorbed during some bioenergy processes even exceeds the carbon emissions that are generated during the production or use of fuel.
• Biomass Feedstock: Switchgrass is one of the many biomass feedstocks that can be gathered in pastures or marginal lands without competing with food crops.
• Availability: Biomass energy is stored within the organism and is available when needed, in contrast to other renewable energy sources like wind or sun.

Biomass - Disadvantages

• Slow Rate of Replenishment: Biomass feedstocks may stop being renewable if they are not replaced as rapidly as they are consumed.
• For example, it may take a forest a hundred years to re-establish. Still, this is a much, much shorter amount of time than a fossil fuel like peat. Just one meter (3 feet) of peat may regenerate itself in 900 years.
• Requirement of Arable Land: The development of most biomass requires arable land.
• This implies that land utilized for biofuel crops like corn and soybeans cannot be used for food production or to support natural habitats.
• Need for Forested Areas: Freshly planted regions cannot absorb as much carbon as forested areas that have been around for many years (referred to as "old-growth forests").
• As a result, if forest areas are not properly cleared, replanted, and allowed time to develop and absorb carbon, the benefits of using the wood for fuel are not countered by the trees' subsequent regeneration.
• Commercial Sustainability: To be economically viable, the majority of biomass facilities need fossil fuels.
• For instance, a sizable facility being built close to Port Talbot, Wales, will need to import fossil fuels from North America, which will somewhat negate the enterprise's sustainability.
• Low Energy Density: Compared to fossil fuels, biomass has a lower "energy density." Water makes up to 50% of the biomass, and water is lost throughout the energy conversion process.
• Transporting biomass more than 160 kilometers (100 miles) from where it is processed is not considered to be economically efficient by scientists and engineers.
• Harmful Emissions: Nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and other pollutants and particles are released when biomass is burned. Burning biomass can produce smog and perhaps discharge more pollutants than burning fossil fuels if these pollutants are not caught and recycled.

Conclusion

Despite the enormous potential of the biomass resource, there are environmental constraints on the use of biomass as a fuel, most notable conflicts over land usage. Biomass is a land- and water-hungry option, separate from the usage of wastes. Despite these issues, some optimists believe that biomass can succeed in numerous more uses and should be vigorously promoted. Its contribution to global renewable energy consumption is currently at 50%, or more than hydro, wind, solar, and all other renewables put together. And according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), biomass will continue to drive growth in the consumption of renewable energy until 2023 because of its expanding application in the heating and transportation sectors.