Is Biomass Really a Clean Energy Resource?
As we strive to find alternative energy resources, many potential solutions are on the table. Biomass energy is one such solution or is it? Biomass energy is unique in that it has existed in primitive forms since the early days of mankind. Burning wood in a cave is a form of biomass energy, which is simply the conversion of an organic material in a manner that produces heat. For example, a fire converts the organic wood into heat. Therein, however, lays the problem. Global warming is a much debated issue with everyone having a strong opinion and no one seemingly willing to listen to the other side. Whatever your view on this subject, what is clear is we are producing an absolute ton of carbon-based gases in our modern civilization. This is a key issue since the amount of carbon in the atmosphere is a key factor in climate regulation on our planet. To understand the problems of biomass as an energy form, one has to understand the biomass cycle that occurs on the planet. Simplified, the
