Biomass

By THIS IS MONEY
Updated:

 

The Daily Mail City team explains how renewable energy source biomass compares with fossil fuels and why Drax is calling on the government to invest in it.

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Sounds a bit icky.

Well it's not what you're thinking, so stop it. Biomass is organic matter produced by living, or recently living, organisms. But the vast majority is from plants and other vegetable matter.

What does it do?

It's a renewable energy source. Burning rotten plants doesn't sound that renewable given that the process emits CO2. But as the plants and trees that become biomass spend their whole lives absorbing CO2 on behalf of our lungs, this means it is seen as carbon neutral.

Why use it?

Compared with fossil fuels, burning biomass emits far less CO2 and does not produce the sulphur dioxide which causes acid rain.

Biomass champions say promoting an energy crop market will create jobs in the countryside and protect land that might have been used for industrial or residential developments.

Any downsides?

It's disputed whether the energy it takes to farm and transport biomass outweighs the energy it produces. But increased investment would drive down the cost.

Is it the future?

It's certainly part of it, alongside the likes of wind, solar and even nuclear.

But Drax, the operator of Britain's largest coal-fired power station, yesterday called on the government to throw its full weight behind the fuel.

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