Biomass

What is biomass?

Biomass is a term for biological material (primarily plants and animal wastes) used as an energy source. It is by the far the oldest form of energy production, as human beings have been intentionally burning wood and plants for heating and cooking for tens to hundreds of thousands of years. Contemporary biomass production in industrialized nations includes burning agricultural, forestry and animal wastes and products in power plants and agricultural facilities to generate electricity, as well as converting this matter to fuel for electricity generation. Biomass is one of most significant renewable sources of electricity generation in the United States.

The South is the most productive part of the nation in terms of total amount of living material per acre, and Louisiana is particularly rich in biomass potential. Our state has large amounts of agricultural and forestry wastes that can be utilized for power production, including rice hulls, sugarcane bagasse (a waste product of sugar refining) and lumber mill wastes.

In other parts of the country, definitions of biomass have included dirty technologies such as burning tires.  The Alliance for Affordable Energy does not support the adoption of biomass technologies that release large amounts of toxic matter into the atmosphere.

Advantages of biomass as an electricity source for Louisiana

Developing our biomass resources has many potential benefits for Louisiana, including:

• job creation and economic development for rural communities
• additional income for struggling agricultural industries
• reduction of CO2 emissions
• keeping our energy dollars in-state
• dispatchable power – unlike some other renewable energy sources, biomass facilities can be turned on and off when needed
• utilization of resources that are currently wasted
• cost – biomass is one of the least expensive sources of renewable energy
• ease of adaptation – many kinds of biomass can be used in our existing power infrastructure with minor modifications

The current state and future expectations of electricty production from biomass

In 2007, Louisiana generated 3.0 terrawatt-hours of electricity from biomass, which amounted to 3.2% of our total electricity production – the sixth highest percentage in the nation. Much of this power came from the Agrilectric plant in Lake Charles, which burns rice hulls. In 2009, utility company NRG began growing switchgrass, a high yield energy crop, and sorghum for testing the feasibility of incorporating these crops into the fuel mix in its Big Cajun II plant near New Roads.

Biomass is the renewable energy source most poised to take advantage of a renewable portfolio standard and other policies to encourage utility-scale renewable energy in Louisiana.

More information

Biomass Energy Resources in Louisiana, LSU Ag Center, 2006 (.pdf)