At the turn of the 20th century, most non-fuel industrial products were derived from biomass feedstocks. These included dyes, medicines, chemicals, synthetic fibers, and plastics (2). Yet by the 1970s, chemicals from petroleum derivatives had largely replaced those from biomass sources, gaining more than 95 percent of the market as petroleum began to account for more than 70 percent of our fuels (12). Recently, environmental and energy security concerns have increased the interest and awareness in using biomass feedstocks, once again, to meet growing energy and fuel demands.
Objectives of this module
The purpose of this module is to examine the variety of products, for example, energy, fuels, and bio-based materials, which can be generated from woody biomass. Production methods and specifications are also addressed.
This module includes 5 units that focus on the utilization of woody biomass for bioenergy and bio-based products.
In this unit you will learn about the energy content of woody biomass and about the differences between biomass feedstocks in reference to energy content.
In this unit you will find more information on the components that make up wood ash and how to properly manage the woody ash that results from the conversion of woody biomass to bioenergy.
After you complete all of the units, you should be able to:
Identify the Woody Biomass Properties Influencing Utilization.
Identify the two main conversion processes: bio-chemical and thermo-chemical.
Identify and Describe the Four General Product Types Obtained From Woody Biomass Conversion: Energy, Transportation Fuel, Chemical Products, and Industrial Products.
There is a post-test at the end of this module to test what you have learned. Additionally if you are interested in learning more about a particular term related to biomass or the utilization of woody biomass please click on either the “glossary” tab in the upper navigational bar or the “additional materials” tab at the bottom of the left hand navigational bar.
Click the Next button at the bottom of this page to begin
Unit 1: Properties of Woody Biomass.
