Biomass, in the energy production industry,
refers to living and recently dead biological material
which can be used as fuel or for industrial production.
Most commonly, biomass refers to plant matter grown for
use as biofuel, but it also includes plant or animal matter
used for production of fibres, chemicals or heat. Biomass
may also include biodegradable wastes that can be burnt
as fuel. It excludes organic material which has been transformed
by geological processes into substances such as coal or
petroleum. It is usually measured by dry weight.
The term biomass is useful for plants,
where some internal structures may not always be considered
living tissue, such as the wood (secondary xylem) of a
tree. This biomass became produced from plants that convert
sunlight into plant material through photosynthesis.
Sources of biomass energy lead to agricultural
crop residues, energy plantations, and municipal and industrial
wastes.
Biomass is grown from several plants,
including miscanthus, switchgrass, hemp, corn, poplar,
willow and sugarcane. The particular plant used is usually
not very important to the end products, but it does affect
the processing of the raw material. Production of biomass
is a growing industry as interest in sustainable fuel
sources is growing.[citation needed]
Though biomass is a renewable fuel, and
is sometimes called a 'carbon neutral' fuel, its use can
still contribute to global warming. This happens when
the natural carbon equilibrium is disturbed; for example
by deforestation or urbanization of green sites. These
activities are termed 'carbon leakage'.
