Issues Associated with Biomass Boilers

With oil and gas supplies only being given a 45 and 65 year lifespan by researchers, our fossil fuels are in danger of disappearing very quickly.

Therefore, there is a constant need to find an alternative energy source and advancements have been made when it comes to utilizing other sources of fuel.  

One way in which we can generate alternative energy is by burning biodegradable waste and plants, creating biomass from biological materials.

Biomass can be used to fuel heating systems such as biomass boilers, and provides an alternative source of energy to the fossil fuels which we have relied upon, particularly over the last century.

The advantages, as well as the disadvantages of Biomass energy have been well discussed.

Advantages 

The main advantage is that biomass energy benefits the environment and uses agricultural, industrial and urban residues than that fuels that are in danger.

Producing energy this way recycles carbon and will not have a long last impact of the environment.

Fossil fuels are not, and burning them releases huge amounts of extra carbon which are then permanently added into the environment.

Biomass production also requires growing new crops, which in turn help in the reduction of carbon dioxide which benefits the environment further.

Biomass production is also an effective way of ridding landfill sites of biodegradable materials.

What would only amount to waste can now be put to good use, re-purposed in to energy that can benefit it all.

When it comes to offering a legitimate solution to replacing fossil fuels, biomass energy is a cost effective one.

Biomass also solves another problem, in that not all countries have supplies of fossil fuels, depending on other countries reserves, Biomass on the other hand can be produced anywhere.

As supplies of oil and gas fall, their demand and price will only increase, making biomass an increasingly cost effective solution.

Disadvantages

Cultivating crops for biomass boilers and systems can be seen as occupying land which could be used for growing food crops.

Many countries have problems with hunger, and feeding the population will always have a higher priority than growing biomass fuels.

Also, the technology behind biomass energy is still in its relative infancy so systems are still costly.

While the carbon emissions from biomass production are less threatening than fossil fuels, they are still a harmful bi-product.

Biomass energy also needs quite a lot of resources to produce it.

© Guerito 2005 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)