According to the U.S. Department of Energy, biomass recently surpassed
hydropower as the largest domestic source of renewable energy, and consumption in
electric utilities is expected to double every 10 years
through 2030. Biopower uses biomass energy systems to generate electricity through methods such as:
As the following DOE graph illustrates, biomass is expected to remain the largest source of renewable electricity generation through 2030. DOE estimates that 45,000
megawatts of capacity could be brought online by 2020, employing 190,000 people in
mainly rural areas. Some farmers use livestock waste for small modular power generators that can be combined with additional energy generators for their electricity needs. Modular systems incorporate some of the same technologies mentioned above, but on a much smaller scale.
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Nonhydroelectric
Renewable Electricity Generation by Energy Source |
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2004-2030 Billion kilowatt-hours (kWh)
| Electric energy from a power plant is measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh) and is priced in ¢/kWh. |
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In the 2006
Annual Energy Outlook, the U. S. Department
of Energy (DOE) estimates that biomass will remain the largest
source of renewable electricity generation among the
nonhydropower renewable fuels through 2030, increasing from 0.9% of total generation
in 2004 to 1.7% in 2030. The expected increase should come from:
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Co-firing — 38%
Co-firing substitutes biomass for a portion of coal in an existing power plant furnace, thereby significantly reducomg emissions, especially sulfur dioxide emissions. Wood and agricultural residues are burned as a fuel for cogeneration of steam and electricity, mainly in the industrial sector. Because much of the existing power plant equipment can be used without major modifications, co-firing is far less expensive than building a new biomass power plant. For this reason co-firing is the most economic option for introducing new biomass power generation. Biomass is the only renewable energy technology that can directly displace coal use. |
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Direct-fired power plants — 36%
Most biopower plants use direct-fired systems. In dedicated direct-fired biomass operations, the boiler's fuel is 100% biomass which is burned in a conventional steam boiler. The steam is then captured by a turbine and converted to electricity by a generator. The materials used are generally milling and logging residues and energy crops such as fast-growing trees and shrubs. |
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On-site Combined Heat & Power (CHP) — 26%
CHP is the onsite generation of electricity and heating or cooling from a single biomass fuel source. Because the electricity has only as short distance to travel between generator and end-use, very little is lost during transmission. The industrial sector produces thermal output and electricity from CHP facilities in the paper, chemical, and food-processing industries. Utilizing this heat and steam can improve energy efficiencies by more than 35%. See CHP Publications, Studies and Tools. |
Energy Policy Act of 2005 Tax Credit
The Energy Policy Act of 2005 mandates that electricity generated from closed loop
biomass (dedicated energy crop) modified to co-fire with coal and/or biomass is eligible to receive 1.5 cents per Kwh credit multiplied by the ratio of the thermal content of the closed-loop biomass to the thermal content of all fuels used in the facility. For this purpose, "closed-loop biomass" includes any organic material from a plant which is planted exclusively for purposes of being used at a qualified facility to produce
electricity.
Additional Resources
Renewable Electricity Production Tax Credits
This summary of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 tax credits for renewable energy generation is provided by Northeast Regional Biomass Program.
Biomass for Electricity Generation
A DOE Energy Information Administration paper that includes a graph with comments on the projected consumption of biomass energy in four different scenarios spanning 2000-2020.
Converting Biomass into Electricity
This U. S. Department of Energy web site uses graphs to depict the various processes used to convert biomass into electricity.
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