Biomass Energy

Have you ever sat by a campfire or fireplace? If so, you’ve see biomass energy in action!

In Cedar Rapids, Iowa, a company called BFC Gas & Electric recycles more than 150 tons of biomass material every day to produce electricity for about 4,000 homes. Some of the material they use includes:

• Leftover wood from sawmills.

• Leftover paper and wood waste from paper mills.

• Corn stalks, corn cobs and seed corn from farms.

• Paper and cardboard that can’t be recycled in other ways.

• Fast-growing crops and trees.

View a photo of BFC Gas & Electric

Growing energy crops

In Ottumwa, Iowa, Alliant Energy is studying how to use a new crop called switchgrass. Area farmers grow the switchgrass on their land, then sell it to the power company. The switchgrass is burned along with coal to make steam for the generators.

View a photo of an Iowa farmer harvesting switchgrass

Turning garbage into energy

In Wisconsin, people are using electricity made at the local trash dump! When trash decomposes, it gives off a gas called methane. A machine called a microturbine captures the methane gas and uses it to run a small jet engine to produce electricity.

View a photo of microturbines at the Sauk County Landfill in Wisconsin

And don’t forget cow power!

Or how about electricity from cow manure? Animal waste gives off methane gas too, and dairy farms in Iowa and Wisconsin are microturbines and a machine called a “digester” to turn the methane into electricity.

View a photo of an anaerobic digester

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Want to learn more?

If you need more information about biomass energy, visit this Web site:

Biomass: Energy from Wood, Garbage and Farm Waste
by the U.S. Department of Energy

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Links for teachers and parents:

How Alliant Energy uses biomass

BFC Gas & Electric

Biomass Basics by the National Renewable Energy Laboratories

U.S. Department of Energy Biomass Program

American Bioenergy Association

Energy Conservation lesson plans

More resources for teachers and parents

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