9 Unusual Alternative Energy Options - the Potential of Biomass
October 12, 2008
Biomass Can Come from a Great Variety of Interesting Sources
Biomass energy and biomass fuel are becoming more and more viable options for a sustainable future. But Biomass is a lot more fascinating than most people realize, with fuel sources ranging from chicken excrement to human fat and even stranger substances you might never have guessed. The many, many different possibilities for biomass materials makes it one of the most fascinating forms of alternative energy - especially when you consider these unusual methods of biomass production:
Chicken Poop
Over 800 thousand tons of chicken poop is available for biomass energy production in the Netherlands each year. Photo by mauledbyjesus via Flickr
Chicken manure, like cow byproducts, emits methane and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and is a growing environmental concern in the Netherlands. Instead of exporting the problem as they’ve done in the past, at least 440,000 tons of chicken poop will produce biomass energy in a new production plant.
Garbage
More than 130 million tons of garbage enter landfills each year, contaminating the air, the soil, and the water supply. Photo by Andarilho Belem via Flickr
Scheduled to be in operation by the end of 2009, America’s first garbage to ethanol plant will be located in Los Angeles County, California. These plants could offer a more sustainable option for alternative fuel while eliminating several tons of waste from landfills.
Human Fat
This futuristic speed boat is powered completely by biomass fuels, including fuel produced by the owners body fat.
Earthrace is an eco-friendly boat operated on 100% biomass fuel and proves that it is possible to produce biofuel from human fat, obtained by liposuction. Read more on human fat and biomass energy.
Farm Waste
Many farmers PAY to have farm waste, wood chips, and other potential biomass materials removed from their land. Photo by pdam2
While wood and farm waste are not unusual materials for biomass fuel, Show Me Energy’s biomass wood pellets and cooperative community energy projects are intriguing. Local farmers provide (and profit from) the biomass plant’s materials and then use the pellets to heat their homes and barns. These locally produced biomass pellets are also being tested as a viable solution for generating clean energy.
Hazardous Materials
Could toxic waste power the world? Photo by greefus groink
Otherwise difficult to dispose of hazardous waste, including medical, industrial, and chemical garbage, will become materials for a new energy plant planned in Indiana. A combination of gasification and waste-heat-to-energy processes is proposed to convert the hazardous materials into energy.
Algae
More than 65,000 species and unbelievable reproduction rates make algae an ideal candidate for sustainable fuel. Photo by Grendelkhan
The potential of algae as an alternative fuel option has been experimented with throughout history but is now receiving more attention as oil prices continue to soar. Nearly half of an algae plant’s total weight is oil, meaning an acre of this abundant pond scum could produce about 20,000 times the amount of oil for biofuel than a soybean crop produces!
Wheat Stubble
Leftover stubble from wheat and grain crops could replace at least 20% of fossil-fuel based energy without interfering with the land or food supply. Photo by Andrew Stawarz
While some of the waste left behind after harvesting is important to maintain the soil, a large portion of it is simply wasted. This stubble has the potential to be a truly sustainable biomass option - it doesn’t require the introduction of a new species, will not detract from the food supply, and doesn’t create any disruptions in the current environment like most biomass crops.
Slaughterhouse Waste
Could leftover animal parts generate our energy? Photo by szaqii
While many people are reducing or eliminating their meat consumption, the human race still consumes a lot of meat. Slaughterhouses and farms that prepare these foods have quite an impact on the environment. The Cows to Kilowatts initiative in Nigeria plans to eliminate the pollution slaughterhouses create while producing a clean and affordable fuel option.
Human Waste
Human waste is something we cant control - why not turn it into something useful? Photo by Mark Sebastian
The methane gases emited by human waste will soon turn on the lights in San Antonio, TX. Plans for the first commercial US processing plant of this type are already underway and should harvest methane from about 90% of the city’s sewage.
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