Solutions > Home construction > Alternative energy
Biomass energy
Biomass energy refers to all forms of renewable energy derived from plant materials produced by photosynthesis. It can come from wood, agricultural crops and other organic residues.
There’s nothing new about biomass energy or bioenergy despite a fancy sounding moniker. Burning wood is one of the oldest of all energy sources. But, today, with much more efficient options, biomass energy can be part of the climate change solution. Currently 5.9% of Canada’s primary energy demand is supplied by biomass. (1)
Biomass energy has a number of environmental benefits.
- It is considered “green” energy because it is carbon neutral. Burning wood, for example, will produce no more carbon dioxide than leaving a tree to die and decompose naturally.
- Biomass energy can decrease methane emissions which are given off by decaying plant material.
- It is infinitely renewable if the resources are managed sustainably.
Wood
For heating homes, wood burning is the most likely form of biomass energy. The technology has advanced in leaps in the last decade with numerous high efficiency options that cut emissions by up to 90 percent and use up to one-third less wood.
Wood can provide both space and water heat in a number of ways.
- Chunk wood or pellets burned in a high efficiency enclosed fireplace, box stove, furnace or cook stove.
- Wood or agricultural residues burned in furnaces to produce direct heat or to heat water in boilers. (2)
On farms, anaerobic digesters or similar technologies have good potential to harness methane gas from manure while also displacing fossil fuel energy sources. See Agriculture solutions.
