Urban Energy Systems

Bio Energy
Power from Living Sources
B
io energy is primarily derived from the burning of plant material to generate heat that is then used directly, or to produce electricity. Such "biomass" can be derived from wood, garbage, landfill gases, bagasse, agriculture crops/waste, forest residue, sewage, etc.

Some of the processes that are used to convert biomass into energy include combustion (ex. burning wood), gasification (ex. combustible gas mixture- syngas), pyrolysis (ex. charcoal), anaerobic digestion (ex. methane), and fermentation (ex. ethanol).

Bioenergy Biomass generates bioenergy, including biofuels such as biodiesels and biogas.

Most common sources of biomass include: agricultural residue, industrial (organic) waste*, animal wastes, sewage and sludge*, municipal solid wastes*, forestry wastes etc.

Bio/organic materials are processed in three ways:

  1. by creating compressed pellets and brickettes for direct burning
  2. by anaerobic and aerobic fermentation to create hydrogen/methane gas for burning and other purposes.
  3. by using agri-crops such as palm or corn to create biofuels
* urban-based. Other wastes are mostly peri-urban or rural.
Types of first generation of biofuels Types of second generation biofuels Types of third generation biofuels


•
•
•
•

Solar
•
•
•
•

Wind
•
•
•
•

Wave
•
•
•
•

Hydro
•
•
•
•

Bio
•
•
•
•

Geo
Return to Urban Energy
Contact: