|
In contrast to the other renewable energies Biomass is just a collective term for a lot of different resources. Moreover bioenergy covers a wide range of energy conversion technologies. Some of them are old, f.e. charcoal industry or sugar-cane to Bioethanol industry.   
In fact Biomass is just converted solar energy which in contrast to other renewable energies can be stored and, rather more important, can be transformed into heat, power or fuels. Almost 200 years ago the whole world relied on the use of Biomass. Now, in front of melting resources of fossil oil or at least rising costs for exploration and raffination, it seems that we are turning back now. In addition to the environmental benefits the dispersed biomass cultivation would bring jobs to remote regions and the benefits to local economies.
There are two main streams in possible bioenergy use: biogas Green plants or starch containing plants like corn are converted in a biogas plant through anerobic digestion into biogas. Main component of the produced biogas is methane gas , which is chemically the same gas like in natural gas, but not causing a climate change because it comes from a sustainable process. The gas can be used for heating, cooking and for the production of electricity in motor-generator-units. biofuelsIt is no more a secret that the demand for mineral oil is increasing while there are not eough new oil fields which can be explored at a reasonable price level. Together with the unstable situation in the Middle East this is leading to increasing prices for mineral oil and its products in the future.
Especially for countries without own deposits and without an export industry for the compensation of oil and fuel imports the situation will become more and more difficult.
In front of this background the use of alternative sources for fuels has come into the focus in the past years.
the main renewable fuel options which are disucssed in Europe are Biodiesel and Ethanol, where Biodiesel is made from vegetable oil through a transesterification process and Ethanol is made through alcoholic fermentation of carbohydrates.
Both biofuels can be produced in small container-sized units, which is of interest for remote areas too.
 
|
