Does the use of biomass involve a lot of antisocial odors and emissions?
Properly designed combustion chambers used for the burning of biomass will minimize emissions of particulates and poly-aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) to the atmosphere. The atmospheric emissions from a 1-megawatt woodchip-fired biomass boiler used to provide district heating are equivalent to the emissions produced by a single domestic coal fire. Anaerobic digestion treatment stabilizes slurries, significantly reducing odors. A properly managed anaerobic digestion scheme will also contain the intense nutrients found in animal slurries and food residues which can otherwise leach out in high concentrations and pollute soil and water courses.
