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Will Bioenergy Save Mankind?

Friday,
Nov 07
Bioenergy

Bioenergy may be the answer to rising oil prices and the growing problem with dependence on foreign countries and fossil fuels, but can it save mankind from the destruction it has already caused the earth?

Bioenergy is created using biomass, which is all organic material including agricultural wastes, animal wastes, wood wastes, municipal wastes, and other plant and organic materials. Bioenergy can help slow or stop global warming, reduce or even eliminate dependence on fossil fuels that cause pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, and become the new energy source for a cleaner tomorrow.

Bioenergy comes from photosynthesis, which occurs in plants and other living organisms. These sources release this energy during their life or shortly after decomposition has started. Bioenergy can also result when animals eat plants and gain mass indirectly from photosynthesis.

Bioenergy includes biofuels like corn ethanol, cellulosic ethanol, biodiesel, and others. Bioenergy may be the future of energy in the United States and possibly of the entire world. It can help us become friendlier towards the environment we have abused for so long. For mankind to be saved, we must come up with renewable and alternative sources of energy that do not cause damage to the earth. Bioenergy systems can help with environmental issues and local concerns with their many benefits. They can be used to offset the large amounts of fossil fuels that are used, which would reduce acid rain caused by harmful sulfur dioxide emissions, plus, it would help cut down on other harmful emissions like particulates and nitrogen oxides.

Biomass also removes portions of carbon from the air because the plants required to produce biomass absorb carbon dioxide in the air as they grow. The amount of carbon absorbed this way is at least equivalent to the amount of carbon released when biomass material is combusted, so using bioenergy has relatively no net emissions and the major greenhouse gas carbon dioxide is minimized.

Biomass also offers many economic advantages for both the short term and long term. Because bioenergy can be produced locally, the cost for these fuels would be lower because there is no need for long distance transportation. Building bioenergy plants will help the development of local economies and infrastructures as well. Employment opportunities will rise because labor will be needed not only for plant operations, but also to grow and harvest the bioenergy crops.
Biomass Energy

Bioenergy does not require expensive and time consuming equipment conversions. Most of the equipment used for conventional power generation will work for bioenergy power generation. Biomass energy generation will generate co-products as well, and these will also have benefits. Biofuels can be used right now in many of the fossil fuel power plants without any changes needed. They can be a supplemental fuel using a process that is called co-firing, and though this process does not completely eliminate carbon emissions, it will reduce them.

Bioenergy offers many benefits to mankind and may be the answer to the damage that has been caused to the earth. Energy from biomass sources will ensure that there is a diverse energy supply and that supplies of energy are secure and reliable. These sources of energy are environmentally friendly, help in waste management, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, stimulate local economies, provide employment opportunities, and offer agricultural opportunities. With all of these benefits, biomass energy could be the energy source of the future, one that keeps our planet healthy instead of doing damage to it.

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