BIOMASS
Biomass can be termed as organic material which is derived from living or more “recently deceased” organisms. The most important feature of biomass is that it is a renewable source of energy unlike other natural resources like coal, petroleum and even nuclear fuel.
Biomass itself is a renewable energy source because we can always grow more trees and crops, and waste will always exist. Some examples of biomass fuels are wood, crops, manure, and some garbage. When burned, the chemical energy in biomass is released as heat. If you have a fireplace, the wood you burn in it is a biomass fuel. Wood waste or garbage can be burned to produce steam for making electricity, or to provide heat to industries and homes.
BIOFUELS
"Biofuels" typically refer to fluid transportation fuels like ethanol, biogas and biodiesel that are made from biomass materials – but can include prepared solid biomass fuels.
These fuels are:
Often blended with the petroleum fuels - gasoline and diesel fuel, but they can also be used on their own. o Using ethanol or biodiesel means we don't burn quite as much fossil fuel.
Often more expensive than the fossil fuels that they replace but they are also cleaner burning fuels, producing fewer air pollutants and reducing the emission of the greenhouse gases.
Easily transported and can also be easily. handled o Most vehicles require fuels which provide high power and are dense so that storage is easier. o These engines require fuels that are clean and are in the liquid form.
A way of achieving local energy security o As an alternative to fossil fuels that can be expensive, especially when supply is limited and environmental costs are high o As the technology to create and use biofuels has become cheaper and globally widespread.
Some of the major producers and users of biogases are Asia, Europe