Prospects and Problems of Biomass Energy in a Future Global Research Paper

Prospects and Problems of Biomass Energy in a Future Global Sustainable Energy System - Research Paper Example The primary and major emission gas for Greenhouse Gases is carbon dioxide (CO2). When the carbon dioxide goes into atmosphere and changes the weather conditions, the bio-diversity will decrease through increase in temperature. Researchers suggest that biomass has the potential to become one of the major primary sources of energy in the centuries to come. It is believed that bio-energy systems would come out as the important contributors to future sustainable development in industrialized and developing countries. Carbon, hydrogen and oxygen are the basis of biomass. The energy sources that act in the derivation of biomass energy are garbage and wood. The other sources include landfill gases and alcohol fuels. One can convert biomass into some other forms of energy like methane gas or fuels for transportation. The other utilities from biomass include production of electricity. Sugarcane and corn are some of the resources of biomass energy. The raw material for biomass is much cheaper than other fuels. Probably the oldest source of energy after the sun is biomass. Sun is the source of energy for biomass. Almost half of the biomass used in the present times comes from burning of wood and wood scraps. The biggest user of biomass is industry followed by transportation (National Energy Education Development Project, 2009). Problems of biomass energy Biomass power can have its impact on the environment. Air pollution can be caused in using biomass as a fuel. Carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides and some other particulates can be the forms of pollutants. A pollutant that is created by incomplete combustion of fossil fuel is black carbon which is held as the second largest contributor to cause global warming. The carbon is released into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. When a carbon is released into the atmosphere it acts as a contributor in climate change. Even though there are some advantages accrued in using biomass fuels, yet it had not been the major source of energy i n everyday life. The traditional biomass energy was dependent upon combustion of woods and leaves. This sort of activity generated carbon into the atmosphere. Recent advancements in technology has reduced the cost of the process and increased the production of ethanol yield of switch grass. This will drive more profits as well as protect the environment. The production of biomass is possible only when crop is raised to serve the purpose of producing the fuels only. The process will use up land which could have been used for other purposes like the normal agricultural process. Scientists opined that these production processes will insert its tool in the ecosystem. This can also result in climate crisis. The production of biomass energy uses a lot of energy to harvest the crops. It requires more water and other fossil fuels to make the fertilizers for the plantation and harvesting processes. It is also difficult to collect biomass. There is also constraint on the availability of bioma ss all round the year. The major constituents of biomass energy production are wheat, barley and corn and they are seasonal crops. Their availability is limited in certain seasons of the year. The source of producing biomass is expensive. Although the fuels of biomass are renewable sources but one cannot find a reduction in the levels of emission. Some amounts of pollutants that are harmful are produced by bio-fuels. This is known as fossil fuels.