Energy produced by biomass-burning power plants is already powering tens of thousands of homes in South Carolina, and in February the state was acknowledged by the Biomass Power Association for leadership in the growing biomass energy generation industry. The state of South Carolina has certainly made a name for itself in the biomass industry over the past year, installing two new biomass power plants and even replacing old (and, dare we say, obsolete) coal burning boilers with one new biomass burner.
A very simplified model of the cycle of biomass energy creation.
Biomass energy is steadily gaining ground as an alternative source of renewable energy, sourced from wood debris, methane gas from landfills, and other sources. The United States Department of Energy Voluntary Reporting on Greenhouse Gases Program states that “CO2 emissions from biogenic fuels… should be omitted from your emissions inventory as they are not considered to be anthropogenic emissions.” The European Commission guidelines for monitoring and reporting GHG emissions similarly states “Biomass is considered CO2 neutral, An emission factor of 0 shall be applied to biomass.”
A biomass plant in South Carolina. Biomass plants have similar structure to coal-burning plants in that biomass is burned to heat water which move turbines. Burning biomass instead of coal is less harmful to the environment (no need for disruptive mining techniques) and better for local air quality. These plants are considered carbon neutral because the carbon they release is theoretically equal to the amount the local environment can sequester.
In addition to utilizing a carbon neutral and, ultimately, renewable energy source, South Carolina’s use of biomass power is advantageous for their economy and the long-term management of their resources. State legislation is all for the long-term plan to implement more biomass power because the system is locally sourced, creates long-term jobs in the area, and reduces the amount of fuel that must be imported (money that is drained from the SC economy).
Logging for Electricity Generation
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Posted on April 25, 2014 by adgrant
Energy produced by biomass-burning power plants is already powering tens of thousands of homes in South Carolina, and in February the state was acknowledged by the Biomass Power Association for leadership in the growing biomass energy generation industry. The state of South Carolina has certainly made a name for itself in the biomass industry over the past year, installing two new biomass power plants and even replacing old (and, dare we say, obsolete) coal burning boilers with one new biomass burner.
Biomass energy is steadily gaining ground as an alternative source of renewable energy, sourced from wood debris, methane gas from landfills, and other sources. The United States Department of Energy Voluntary Reporting on Greenhouse Gases Program states that “CO2 emissions from biogenic fuels… should be omitted from your emissions inventory as they are not considered to be anthropogenic emissions.” The European Commission guidelines for monitoring and reporting GHG emissions similarly states “Biomass is considered CO2 neutral, An emission factor of 0 shall be applied to biomass.”
In addition to utilizing a carbon neutral and, ultimately, renewable energy source, South Carolina’s use of biomass power is advantageous for their economy and the long-term management of their resources. State legislation is all for the long-term plan to implement more biomass power because the system is locally sourced, creates long-term jobs in the area, and reduces the amount of fuel that must be imported (money that is drained from the SC economy).
http://www.scbiomass.org/Default.aspx?pageId=1614536
http://www.usabiomass.org/
http://www.energy.sc.gov/renewable?pc=1203
http://www.ecologistnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Biomass-Energy-300×297.jpg
Category: Eastern Issues, NC Issues, Uncategorized
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