Fuel Over Fries: Turning Biomass into Green Energy
The word ‘potato’ is often synonymous with homestyle comfort and fried foods. Known for being one of America’s favorite and most versatile ingredients, these starchy vegetables and other biomass crops are making a new name for themselves by being transformed into a renewable energy source.
In November 2022, the global population reached a new high of over 8 billion people, leading to concerns that our population has grown beyond what our planet can sustain. Humans have created a strain on the environment due to our reliance on natural resources, especially fossil fuels, which are depleting at an alarming rate. Currently, over 11 billion tons of fossil fuels are burned each year. By the end of this century, it is predicted that we will be completely out of fossil fuels, with oil gone by 2052, gas gone by 2060, and coal gone by 2090.
While we may have created a world that is fossil fuel dependent, the fossil fuel consumption rate must decrease if we want to protect the future of our planet. As fossil fuels are on a fast track toward total elimination, we must turn to innovative ways to source energy beyond fossil fuels.
What is Biomass Energy?
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, biomass is defined as any organic material that comes from living (or once living) things that can be turned into energy. Although it might not be a common source now, the use of biomass for energy is not a new concept. Up until the mid-1800s, biomass energy was the norm for energy consumption, dating back to the first wood fires to cook or keep warm during brutally cold winters.
How it Works
Because biomass energy mainly comes from plants (especially wood and food crops which are referred to as biomass feedstocks), biomass energy is created through photosynthesis. Plants capture and convert carbon dioxide, sunlight, and water into glucose which serves as the energy for plants but also biomass energy. Because plants are rich in glucose, they can be transformed into direct or indirect usable energy. Direct methods include burning wood to create heat or converting photosynthetic plants into electricity, while indirect methods include creating liquid biofuel, such as Ethanol.
What it Offers
In recent years, biomass has gained attention as a solution to the overreliance and overconsumption of fossil fuels problem, and for good reason because it offers a range of advantages.
It’s Widely Available and Renewable. Because biomass is the product of organic material and a renewable resource, there is always a consistent supply of organic material to use wherever plants, trees, and other food crops are grown. Once used, new plants can be grown as biomass feedstock.
It’s Carbon Neutral. Plants and trees absorb carbon dioxide (CO2) through photosynthesis. CO2 is released back into the atmosphere during biomass combustion but then reabsorbed by new plant growth, creating a closed carbon cycle.
It’s Optimizing Waste. Biomass fuel uses organic waste materials that would otherwise end up in a landfill, release methane, and contribute to greenhouse gasses. Potato peel waste (PPW) is a large byproduct of the industrial processing of potatoes and because it cannot be sold, it is thrown out. However, recent research has optimized the way we can turn potato scraps into biofuel. By converting waste into biofuel, we are optimizing our resources and reducing greenhouse gas pollution, which creates jobs for farmers to produce more biomass supply and for researchers within the biotechnology field.
The Drawbacks
Biomass energy has intriguing potential to reduce our carbon footprint, but not without a few drawbacks. Compared to fossil fuels, biomass energy is not an efficient energy source. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, 83% ethanol content has about 27% less energy per gallon than gasoline. Often, ethanol must be fortified with gasoline to make it effective for use. While that decreases the amount of fossil fuels we are consuming, we are still reliant on fossil fuels.
In addition to being not as effective, biomass energy also requires a lot of space and resources to produce, especially when used for a large population. We switched to coal and other fossil fuels around the time of the Industrial Revolution. Since then, our modern industrialized society has grown rapidly and our reliance on fossil fuels has only grown stronger, which makes the switch back to biomass energy as a primary resource more difficult.
Investing in Renewable Energy
While it may not be the perfect replacement for fossil fuels, biomass energy provides a more accessible, carbon-neutral, and most importantly, renewable alternative to nonrenewable energy sources. Globally, modern biomass energy contributes to 55% of renewable energy and is predicted to displace fossil fuels by 2030. As we continue to invest in biomass energy and use it on a larger scale, we must be cognizant of how we are using land and sourcing feedstocks to ensure we are protecting local biodiversity and ecosystems.
By embracing biomass energy and becoming more aware of our carbon footprint, we can make significant strides toward achieving a more sustainable future and preserving our planet’s natural resources. With continued research and development in biomass energy and other renewable resources such as solar and wind power, we can ensure that we are using these resources efficiently and ethically. So, next time you enjoy a plate of fries, take a moment to appreciate how they could have been a vital ingredient in our journey towards a greener future.
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