How is biomass used to produce electric power?
When biomass is burned, it produces heat (as in any simple fireplace or furnace). In most power plants (steam-cycle or steam-turbine systems), this heat is captured by boiling water to generate steam, which turns turbines and drives generators that convert the energy into electricity. New technologies now being evaluated include several types of biomass gasifiers in which biomass is heated to convert it into a gas. This gas is used directly in a gas turbine, which drives a generator (a simple gas turbine system). In some cases, the waste heat from the gas turbine may be used to drive a secondary steam turbine, thus converting more of the fuel energy into electricity (a combined-cycle system).
In most power plants biomass is burned to produce heat, which boils water to generate steam, which turns turbines and drives generators of electricity. New technologies now being evaluated include several types of biomass gasifiers, in which biomass is heated to convert it into a gas. This gas is used directly in a gas turbine, which drives a generator. In some cases, the waste heat from the gas turbine may be used to drive a secondary steam turbine, thus converting more of the fuel energy into electricity (a combined-cycle system). Other processes use anaerobic digestion in which biomass is broken down by bacteria to produce a fuel gas that is used in engines to generate electricity.
