• ABOUT SESAC :
  • What is SESAC? :
  • European context :
  • Partners :
    • Partner cities :
    • Other partners :
• SESAC PROJECTS :
  • Växjö (Sweden) :
    • The CONCERTO SESAC Project in Växjö :
    • Polygeneration from biological waste in Växjö, sewage treatment plant Sundet :
    • New eco-buildings in Välle Broar, Biskopshagen :
    • Wooden Eco-buildings :
    • Absorption cooling technology :
    • Demand side management :
    • Sustainable Energy Management :
    • Energy efficent dwellings at Välle Broar, Limnologen :
    • Renewable energy production & awareness raising in the Teleborg School  :
  • Delft (Netherlands) :
    • New dwellings :
    • Eco-buildings :
    • Low temperature district heating :
  • Grenoble (France) :
    • New dwellings :
    • New school :
    • PV plant :
    • Integration of RES :
    • Mini hydropower :
    • Mini natural gas co-generation :
• KEY FOCUS AREAS :
  • Renewable Energy Sources :
    • Biomass :
    • Geothermal Energy :
    • Hydroelectric Power Stations :
    • Solar Energy :
    • Wind Energy :
  • Rational Use of Energy :
    • Sustainable Buildings, Low Energy Housing :
    • Sustainable Communities :
• NEWS & EVENTS DOWNLOADS :
  • SESAC publications :
    • SESAC Newsletters :
    • Partner publications :
    • Market Interaction :
    • Case studies :
    • Press corner :
  • European publications :
    • European projects :
    • CONCERTO publications :
  • Conferences :
  • Photos & Videos :
• EUROPEAN POLICY :
  • CONCERTO initiative :
  • Useful links :
• CONTACT :
  • Växjö :
  • Grenoble :
  • Delft :
  • Partners from New Member States :
  • Associations of local authorities :
  • Technical coordinators :
• PARTNER SECTION :

Biomass

Plant and Animal

Biomass is a renewable energy resource derived from the carbonaceous waste of various human and natural activities. Biomass is plant and animal material that can be used for energy. This includes using wood from trees, waste from other plants and manure from livestock. Biomass can be used to generate electricity, light, heat, motion and fuel. Converting biomass energy into useable energy has many environmental benefits. Biomass does not add carbon dioxide to the atmosphere as it absorbs the same amount of carbon in growing as it releases when consumed as a fuel. It uses waste materials that are usually dumped, and uses up methane (a greenhouse gas). Fuels such as ethanol can be made from biomass and used as an alternative to petrol to power motor cars.

All plant and animal matter is called biomass. It is the mass of biological matter on earth. We can get (biomass) energy:

 Directly from plants, for example burning wood for cooking and heating, or Indirectly from plants, for example turning it into a liquid (alcohol such as ethanol) or gas (biogas) fuel.
 Indirectly from animal waste, for example biogas (mainly methane gas) from sewage and manure.

An increasing number of renewable energy projects using biomass has been developed. Most of these use waste products from agriculture, so they solve a waste disposal problem and, at the same time, create energy for use in homes, farms and factories.