Biomass Or Fossil Fuels: Which Is Better?

Improved Essays
Biomass vs Fossil Fuels: Which is Better?

Most people won’t argue with you when you say that fossil fuels are the least beneficial source of energy. But if you say that biomass, an alternative power source, is more beneficial than fossil fuels, some may disagree. How can a source of alternative energy not be better than fossil fuels? Let us try to understand the differences of these two and decide after if one is really better than the other.

Origins

Fossil fuels and biomass actually both originated from organic matter. However, the former comes from organic matter that has existed for millions of years on Earth. This matter has been entombed and is rotting down in under the layers of the earth between rocks. Over time, the pressure from

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    In short, one of Lomborg's boldest claims was that cheap fossil fuels would improve lives. He reasoned that with the use of coal, countries have vanquished the spectre of poverty that haunts many, and that fossil fuels will continue to be an integral part of our daily lives. Upon closer examination of Lomborg's strand of argument, it is revealed that one of its biggest flaws is the blatant omission that several poor countries already have access to cheap fossil fuels through fuel subsidies. In fact, the biggest subsidies are in developing nations, spending more than $400 billion yearly protecting their population from high fuel prices (Stephen and Adam, 2012). Therefore, it is evident that Lomborg's argument is fundamentally invalid.…

    • 666 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Pros And Cons Of TMI

    • 462 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Fossil fuels like coal are what enhance global warming while using nuclear energy helps block it by not releasing harmful emissions such as carbon dioxide into the air. While nuclear energy has only had three major accidents in its entire history, fossil fuels has beared ten major accidents in the past 25 years. Coal is not nearly as reliable as nuclear energy because nuclear energy can run 24/7 for 18-24 months without refueling. In summary, Fossil fuels are less reliable, are the core factors for enhancing global warming, and has had a greater amount then accidents than nuclear has…

    • 462 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Fossil fuels make up most of the world’s energy for electricity and fuel to specify crude oil, coal, and natural gas, each one is different in efficiency, availability, and byproducts, and they are same because they are all burn to get to the energy out and the main byproduct is carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas. (Fischer, Douglas) The more carbon dioxide in the faster temperature rises, so has the emission regulate carbon dioxide emission before it out of control. Also the other byproducts are harmful as to the environment as to human. When fossil fuels are burned they release hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide gases and heavy metals leave behind, when burned it release hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide the gases will mix with water in air to create acid rain that could scar or destroy forests, with second most biodiverse forest being in the U.S. it have to be protected.…

    • 1087 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    According to Triple-A, the average price of gas is currently $2.39. With gas prices seemingly always on the rise and the incessant need to find resources that are closer to home as well as earth friendly more options need to be sought. At this day in age, Algae biofuel is no longer a backburner option for viable fuel alternatives. This environmentally friendly alternative to petroleum is a realistic contender to battle with other biofuels and fossil fuels. Algae is more than just the green seaweed at the bottom of the ocean that people associate it with.…

    • 362 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Renewable energy has been around for billions of years. Many people overlook the fact that humans have been using renewable energy since the start of civilization. The simplest form of energy is wood, which has been used as a source of energy for thousands of years. Biomass energy can be produced from many different kinds of renewable substances, such as clean household and industrial waste, wood and forest residues, agricultures crop residue, and animal waste. (How Biomass Energy Works)…

    • 889 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Assignment 7 Power Station Emission Aim: The aim of this experiment is to measure the mass of sulphur dioxide in 1m3 of flue gas (waste gas from burning fossil fuels in a power station). To achieve this aim, titration of an unknown solution of sulphuric acid (around 0.2-0.4 mol) and sodium carbonate (0.2 mol) using methyl orange as an indicator. 1. Introduction Fossil fuel is formed from decayed plants and animals that have been converted to crude oil, coal, natural gas, or heavy oils by exposure to heat and pressure in the earth's crust over hundreds of millions of years. “As the mud sediment was buried by more sediment, it started to change into…

    • 1645 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Argument of Fact Unsustainable fossil fuels have been in controversy in the more recent years. The world’s population is constantly growing and changing with that the need for more energy grows as well. Right now, the main way to fulfill the need of these growing populations come from the use of fossil fuel. One major problem. Fossil fuel is unsustainable, and the need is overcoming the what the earth can create and produce.…

    • 877 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Fossil Fuels In America

    • 616 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Like a heart supplying blood throughout the body to maintain life, fossil fuels supply energy across America to sustain societies. Unfortunately, we are noticing a shortage of our non-renewable resources. We need to realize why they are paramount and the impact they have on America before we can solve the paucity issue. Furthermore, society needs to push…

    • 616 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    INTRODUCTION Fossil fuels such as oil, coal, and gas have dominated and supplied most of the world’s energy needs for decades. As the dominant energy supply, it is not likely to be eliminated. It is thought to remain persistently in the environment for the next few generations. Fossil fuels have many long term consequences; for starters they are not a renewable source, thus they can deplete faster than they can be renewed. Not only are they exhaustible, they are a major threat to the environment; of particular concern is the threat towards the health of wildlife, ecosystems, environment, and human beings.…

    • 1932 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Superior Essays

    that food-based biofuels are not the best alternative to replace fossil fuels. In my opinion, one should take the environmental effects and the effects on food prices more into account when assessing the qualities of a feedstock for biofuel production. Then it would soon become apparent that the investments made in corn grain ethanol could better go to alternatives such as sugarcane and microalgae, which have a higher energy yield. As mentioned above, in the sugarcane example, biofuels can be economically viable and at the same time environmentally sustainable. So in my opinion biofuels are an important tool in mitigating the global greenhouse…

    • 908 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Natural gas is used to create energy. Natural gas is a gas that occurs naturally underground. It is uses fossil fuels to make materials and chemicals. Geologist find and harvest the natural gas. Natural gas can be used for many things.…

    • 864 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Thesis: Our energy comes predominantly from fossil fuels because of it’s supposed inexpensiveness. However, the cost of fossil fuels in terms of human lives is often ignored. Nuclear power, on the other hand, is a much safer alternative because it results in fewer deaths per unit of energy produced than coal and natural gas. By comparing their outputs in terms of energy produced per unit of fuel consumed, and comparing that with the amount of byproducts produced as well as the amount of deaths associated with both energy sources we can analyse their relative harmfulness.…

    • 1010 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Climate change comes to the fore as in any discussion of environmental. Human activities such as burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and using transportation are the main causes which rapidly accelerate climate change. However, such problems can be controlled and dealt with by making an effort to implement renewable energy and conserve energy as mentioned and the sequestration of carbon dioxide. Thermal power generation burning fossil fuels such as coal, petroleum, and natural gas has been used to produce electric energy.…

    • 840 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Biomass boilers are larger, costlier and fuel can be purchased much more cheaply in bulk so they tend to be better suited to a district heating system where adequate storage can be designed in. While not widely implemented throughout the UK we should consider Denmark where 60% of energy is provided through District Heating Systems. Further benefits of these systems are that CO2 emissions are reduced by over 90% when compared to fossil fuel equivalents. The difficulty in implementing these systems more widely is due to the initial cost to set up and run these systems so it is more manageable to introduce them gradually in conjunction with new wider development…

    • 7155 Words
    • 29 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Superior Essays

    There are many health risks from breathing in the chemicals formed from burning fossil fuels, but we still use them. There are alternatives to using fossil fuels like ethanol and biodiesel, which are not as great of a pollutant as fossil fuels. The production of renewable energy seeks to harness the power of nature to convert into usable energy. There is no pollution formed from the creation of renewable energy. Renewable energy can also be cheaper as…

    • 1766 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Superior Essays