environmental impacts of biomass Energy
Whether combusting directly or engaged in gasification, biomass resources generate air emissions. These emissions vary depending upon the precise fuel and technology used. If wood is the primary biomass resource, very little SO2 comes out of the stack. NOx emissions vary significantly among combustion facilities depending on their design and controls. Some biomass power plants show a relatively high NOx emission rate per kilowatt hour generated if compared to other combustion technologies. High NOx rates which are effects of the high nitrogen content of most biomass fuels is one of the top air quality concerns associated with biomass
Another air quality concern associated with biomass plants is Particle Pollution or PP. These emissions can be controlled through conventional technologies. To date, no biomass facilities have installed advanced PP controls. Still, most particulate emissions are relatively large in size. Their impacts upon human health remain unclear.
Carbon monoxide (CO) is also emitted - sometimes at levels higher than those for coal plants. Biomass plants also release carbon dioxide (CO2), the primary greenhouse gas. However, the cycle of growing, processing and burning biomass recycles CO2 from the atmosphere. If this cycle is sustained, there is little or no net gain in CO2 released into the atmosphere. Given that short rotation woody crops (i.e., fast growing woody plant types) can be planted, matured and harvested in shorter periods of time than natural growth forests, the managed production of biomass fuels may recycle CO2 in one-third less time than natural processes.
Biomass power plants also divert wood waste from landfills, this reduces the production of methane gases released into the atmosphere.
Biomass power plants also divert wood waste from landfills, this reduces the production of methane gases released into the atmosphere.
The collection of biomass fuels can have significant environmental impacts. Harvesting timber and growing agricultural products for fuel requires large volumes to be collected, transported, processed and stored. Biomass fuels may be obtained from supplies of clean, uncontaminated wood that otherwise would be put in land fill or from sustainable harvests. In both of these fuel collection examples, the net environmental advantages of biomass are significant when compared to fossil fuel collection alternatives. On the other hand, the collection, processing and combustion of biomass fuels may cause environmental problems. For example, the fuel source contains toxic contaminants, agricultural waste handling pollutes local water resources also burning biomass deprives local ecosystems of nutrients that forest or agricultural waste may otherwise provide.