What is Biomass?
Biomass refers to organic matter derived from living or recently living organisms, primarily from plants, animals, and microorganisms. It is a renewable resource and can be used to produce biofuels for energy.
Sources of Biomass
Type | Examples |
Agricultural Waste | Crop residues (wheat straw, rice husk, corn stover) |
Forest Residues | Wood chips, sawdust, tree branches |
Animal Waste | Cow dung, poultry litter |
Industrial Waste | Food processing waste, sugar industry bagasse |
Energy Crops | Sugarcane, sorghum, jatropha, switchgrass |
Aquatic Biomass | Algae and aquatic plants |
Types of Biofuels from Biomass
Type | Form | Examples |
Solid Biofuel | Solid | Firewood, briquettes, pellets |
Liquid Biofuel | Liquid | Ethanol, biodiesel, pyrolysis oil |
Gaseous Biofuel | Gas | Biogas, producer gas, syngas |
Conversion Technologies for Biofuel Production
Biomass can be converted into biofuels using the following major technologies:
- Thermochemical Conversion
Method | Process | Output |
Combustion | Burning biomass in air | Heat and power |
Gasification | Partial oxidation at high temp | Producer gas (CO, H₂, CH₄) |
Pyrolysis | Heating in absence of oxygen | Bio-oil, syngas, charcoal |
- Biochemical Conversion
Method | Feedstock | Product |
Anaerobic digestion | Animal dung, food waste | Biogas (mainly CH₄) |
Fermentation | Sugar/starch (molasses, corn) | Ethanol |
Transesterification | Oilseeds (Jatropha, soybean) | Biodiesel |
Applications of Biofuels in Agriculture and Energy
- Biodiesel
- Produced from vegetable oils and animal fats.
- Used in tractors, irrigation pump engines, and generators.
- Cleaner than diesel – reduces CO₂ and SO₂ emissions.
- Bioethanol
- Made from sugarcane, corn, and starch crops.
- Used as blending agent with petrol (e.g., E20, E85).
- Fuels farm transport vehicles and internal combustion engines.
- Biogas
- Produced by anaerobic digestion of animal and organic waste.
- Used for:
- Cooking and lighting in rural homes
- Running dual-fuel engines for irrigation
- Organic fertilizer (slurry by-product)
- Solid Biofuels
- Pellets and briquettes used in:
- Agro-industrial boilers
- Rural cooking stoves
- Thermal applications in food processing units
Advantages of Biomass-Based Biofuels
- Renewable and sustainable
- Reduces dependency on fossil fuels
- Waste-to-energy: utilizes agricultural, industrial, and municipal waste
- Reduces greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
- Supports rural employment and entrepreneurship
- By-products like slurry and ash used as biofertilizer
Challenges in Biomass Utilization
- Seasonal and scattered availability of biomass
- Low energy density compared to fossil fuels
- Collection, storage, and transportation issues
- Initial cost of biofuel technology setup is high
- Land vs. food debate for energy crops
- Lack of awareness and skilled manpower
Government Initiatives and Policies
- National Bio-Energy Mission
- SATAT (Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation) for compressed biogas (CBG)
- National Policy on Biofuels (2018) – target of 20% ethanol blending by 2025
- Subsidies for biogas plants and biomass gasifiers through MNRE
