What is biomass?

Biomass is any biological material that can be used as fuel. Biomass fuel is burned or converted in systems that produce heat, electricity, or both heat and power.

Woodchips, wood pellets, and other low-grade wood wastes are the major type of biomass fuel. Other common biomass fuel sources are agricultural crop residues and farm animal wastes.

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For ongoing discussion about the current state and future of grass energy (growing, harvesting, processing, pelletizing, and combustion) as a renewable biomass fuel, visit the Grass Energy Google Group.

Q: What is biomass?
A:  Biomass is any biological material that can be used as fuel. Biomass fuel is burned or converted in systems that produce heat, electricity, or both heat and power.  Woodchips, wood pellets, and other low-grade wood wastes are the major type of biomass fuel. Other common biomass fuel sources are agricultural crop residues and farm animal wastes.

Q: What is BERC? How can you help us with our project?
A: BERC is a national nonprofit located in Montpelier, Vermont, that works on projects around the country to install systems that use biomass fuel to produce heat and/or electricity.  BERC’s partners in these projects have included schools, communities, colleges, businesses, utilities, and government agencies.  We offer services in program design and project assessment and implementation as well as a variety of technical resources.  Program services include Fuels For Schools, Clean Energy Funds, state energy planning for biomass, and forest fire hazard reduction.  BERC project work includes biomass energy feasibility studies, biomass energy project development and management, and technology development.

Q: What kinds of facilities use biomass?
A: Facilities suitable for biomass systems include schools, colleges, universities, hospitals, public buildings, hotels and motels, commercial buildings, greenhouses, large-scale agricultural operations, manufacturing plants, power plants, and community district energy systems (the latter being the use of a central heating plant to provide heat to multiple buildings using buried pipes to distribute the energy). BERC’s expertise is in ‘community-scale’ biomass systems in the 1-to-10 million Btu per hour (output) range.

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BERC in the News