Biomass Energy Pros and Cons
Pros
- It is a renewable energy source. The products obtained are biogas and biofuel. Heat and electricity are generated during biomass energy production
- There is abundance of organic waste and agricultural waste generated everyday. Biomass is produced from these wastes, which makes biomass an easily available resource
- Biomass briquettes are the materials which produce electricity. The electricity generated by the briquettes is much cleaner than that obtained from fossil fuels
- It helps in solid waste management by keeping us pollution free. Incineration (burning) of biological wastes everyday cuts down the levels of release of carbon into the atmosphere; it maintains a healthy balance of carbon in the environment
- One of the most important advantages of biomass energy is that it is cost-effective. Generally, the energy is generated and supplied in the same area so that installation of large pipelines is not required
Cons
- Some of the gases like carbon-dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide are emitted into the atmosphere during biomass production which may damage the ozone layer. It may contribute to global warming
- Another biomass energy disadvantage is that the ethanol produced during the process may increase the levels of nitrogen oxide in the atmosphere
- The accumulation, harvesting and storage of raw biomass materials is quite expensive compared to that of fossil fuels
- The set up of a biomass power plant requires huge space and the recycling of waste that is generated requires a large amount of water
- The process of extraction of biomass is very expensive. This is the reason in many places the projects of biomass energy extraction are never completed
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