Biomass is defined as biological material that has come from animal, vegetable or plant matter.
When referring to the use of biomass for energy production the term often applies to plant-based material such as wood.
Biomass fuel is generally considered to be 'carbon neutral'.
This is because while the plant is growing, it uses the sun's energy to absorb the same amount of carbon from the atmosphere as it releases during combustion.
By maintaining this closed carbon cycle there is no overall increase in CO2 levels.
Sources of biomass
Raw materials that can be used to produce biomass fuels are widely available; they come from a large number of different sources and in numerous forms. Each of these can be used to produce fuel, however, not all forms are suitable for all the different types of energy conversion technologies like biomass boilers.
The main basic sources of biomass material are:
- Wood, including bark, logs, sawdust, wood chips, wood pellets and briquettes
- High yield energy crops, such as wheat, that are grown specifically for energy applications
- Agricultural crop and animal residues, like straw or slurry
- Food waste, both domestic and commercial
- Industrial waste, such as paper pulp
Biomass fuel is converted from raw biomass. For example, a simple form of biomass such as untreated and unfinished wood may be cut into a number of physical forms, including pellets and wood chips, for use in biomass boilers and stoves.
Microgeneration technology
Microgeneration technologies - such as biomass boilers - are an effective way of using renewable fuel sources to benefit the environment by producing clean, sustainable, energy efficient heating and hot water throughout the year.
The Government is encouraging the use of microgeneration technology by offering households with a microgeneration heating system 9p per kWh of heat generated under the Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme.
Biomass produces heat by burning organic material. Although there are many forms of biomass, the ones used most often for small scale household installations are wood pellets, logs or chips. All Baxi biomass boilers use plant-based fuel sources: both the Baxi Bioflo and the Baxi Multiheat are pellet burners, while the Baxi Solo Innova is fuelled by wood logs.
Baxi has a recommended supplier of Biomass fuel. Visit the Brites website, where you can use the supplier search tool to locate your nearest outlet.
