Biomass is a term given to organic matter of recent origin (and therefore does not include fossil fuels which have evolved over millions of years) and it is also sometimes known as bioenergy or biofuel. Biomass is a renewable source of energy, although care must be taken that the fuel is from sustainable sources in order that resources aren’t depleted.
The production and use of biomass is a carbon neutral process as the carbon dioxide released when energy is generated is balanced by that absorbed during the fuel’s production. Biomass is produced from organic materials which come either directly from plants or indirectly from industrial, commercial, domestic or agricultural products, and these are divided into two categories.
- Woody biomass includes forest products and short rotation coppice (such as willow which are quick to grow and therefore easy to sustain).
- Non-woody biomass includes animal waste, industrial and biodegradable municipal products from food processing and high energy crops such as rape, sugar cane and maize.
The main type of biomass used in a domestic environment is wood in the form of wood pellets, chips or logs. This fuel can be used for a stand-alone stove to heat a room (some of which can also be fitted with a back boiler to provide hot water) or for a boiler connected to the central heating and the hot water system. A stand-alone pellet stove would cost approximately £4300 installed with a log stove costing approximately half of this. An autuomatically-fed pellet boiler would be about £11,500 installed.
Both systems do, of course, have running costs as the fuel has to be purchased, and boilers are therefore usually most cost effective in locations without a gas supply. The Renewable Heat Incentive will provide financial support for biomass boilers from June 2011.
Source: EST 2011
