Amid growing concerns of climate change, finding sustainable and carbon-neutral energy sources is a national security issue. Bioenergy, which comes from organic materials like plants and waste, offers a lot of promise for global decarbonization. The world still has a long way to go in terms of transitioning to low-carbon energy, but bio-based energy solutions shine a light on this dark path.
The Bioenergy Advantage:
Bioenergy generates electricity, heat and biofuels through organic material. It’s versatile, scalable and can cover a wide range of applications. Unlike fossil fuels (which are some of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions), bioenergy is carbon-neutral. This means that the carbon dioxide released during combustion is then absorbed by the plants during their growth. It’s a much-needed solution for making our world more sustainable. You can find our more decarbonization solutions here.
Biofuels: Paving the Way for Green Transportation:
One of the greatest advantages of bioenergy is that it can be used to produce biofuels. Some examples include ethanol and biodiesel — these have been proven to power vehicles just as effectively as traditional fossil fuels but with less greenhouse gas emissions. And that’s what we need in our exhausted environment! As researchers continue to experiment with biofuel technology they’ll soon find new feedstocks and even more efficient ways to produce them.
Biogas and Anaerobic Digestion: Turning Waste into Wealth:
Energy crops aren’t the only thing that bioenergy can be derived from; organic waste works too! A process called anaerobic digestion converts this waste into biogas — which is an excellent source for heating, generating electricity and even clean fueling vehicles. Not only does this keep waste management balanced but it also contributes to producing a valuable energy resource.
Biomass Power: Electricity Generation from Nature’s Bounty:
Whenever you see biomass power being generated you should know that it’s being produced by burning organic materials. In this case, it’s wood, crop residues and agricultural byproducts. Other renewable sources like wind and solar play a huge role in balancing this system — but biomass power is capable of running just fine entirely on its own. And because the biomass resources are sustainably managed, we can ensure that biodiversity and ecosystems are still preserved during this process.
Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) with Bioenergy:
Bioenergy combined with carbon capture and storage (CCS) is the ultimate game-changer for climate change. Carbon dioxide emissions are captured and stored to then be repurposed as bioenergy production. Although the carbon dioxide is still released in the end — these processes actively remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, which makes achieving global carbon neutrality a unique possibility.
