Cost and efficiency have been the traditional key drivers behind capital investment considerations across all types of businesses. However, today organizations are adding social responsibility and environmental sustainability to the mix. This is particularly true with regard to electric power generation, both at public utility sites and industrial/commercial facilities considering onsite or captive power generation.
The burning of coal together with biomass feed stocks can supplement energy in high-efficiency boilers, while reducing emissions such as sulfur dioxide.
Biomass, as a renewable energy source, is biological material from living, or recently living organisms. As an energy source, biomass can either be used directly, or converted into other energy products such as biofuel. In the first sense, biomass is plant matter used to generate electricity with steam turbines & gasifiers or produce heat, usually by direct combustion. Examples include forest residues (such as dead trees, branches and tree stumps), yard clippings, wood chips and even municipal solid waste. In the second sense, biomass includes plant or animal matter that can be converted into fibers or other industrial chemicals, including biofuels. Industrial biomass can be grown from numerous types of plants,including miscanthus, switchgrass, hemp, corn, poplar, willow, sorghum, sugarcane, and a variety of tree species, ranging from eucalyptus to oil palm (palm oil).