Biomass refers to biological materials that can be used to make electricity through biogeneration. Just as coal is burned in traditional power stations, biomass is burned to heat water and generate steam to turn a turbine. The vital differences are that biomass is renewable, and that it does not unleash the high levels of CO2 that coal does. Good biomass can come from waste products, or be grown quickly with minimal energy consumption.

How does biomass work?
When plant life grows it absorbs carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere. When a plant stops living, it decomposes and eventually it returns the same amount of CO2 to the atmosphere as it absorbed during its life. In this sense, biomass materials are carbon neutral.

This plant life or organic matter can be processed to create fuels that can be used to generate heat and power. This is known as biogeneration. When biomass is burned to create energy, they return the same amount of CO2 to the atmosphere as if they decompose naturally. This means that properly managed biomass does not disturb what is known as the carbon balance and does not contribute to climate change.

Materials such as waste wood, straw and other crop residues and crops grown specifically for energy production such as willow and miscanthus grass are used as fuel in biomass systems. Having been harvested and dried, the biomass is burned at high temperatures. The heat produced is used to turn water into steam. This steam turns a turbine which generates electricity.