Biomass is defined as organic material derived directly from plants. It is produced through photosynthesis, the process used by plants to convert the sun’s energy into chemical energy.
This chemical energy can then be extracted from the biomass through conversion processes such as the Elementa Process to produce energy that can be used as heat, electrical power or various commodities such as hydrogen.
Natural vegetation such as trees act as natural greenhouse gas sinks for carbon dioxide (CO2). But when they're burned, landfilled or left to decay in the forest, CO2 and methane (which has over 20 times the impact as CO2 as a greenhouse gas) are released back to the atmosphere, adding to the total greenhouse gas emissions. The opportunity lies in capturing and using the energy contained in trees/woodwaste, crops and agricultural waste products. If biomass is converted into electric power, it can reduce demand for fossil fuelled power and reduce total emissions required to provide electrical energy to industries and to the larger economy.
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