Power Stations

Biomass.

Biomass is a renewable energy source.
It comes from biological organisms which were recently alive.
Examples are wood, alcohol and waste materials.

A fossil fuel comes from material
which has been dead for a long long time.
A biofuel comes from biomass
which has been dead for only a short time.
A biofuel can be solid, liquid or gas.
Examples are woodchip, biodiesel, alcohol (ethanol)
and methane (from anaerobic bacteria).

 Wood Burning.

(Links in pink will take you to the GCSE Chemistry site).

A wood burning power station is similar to one which burns fossil fuel.

The original source of the energy is the Sun.
Growing trees use sunlight energy for photosynthesis.

Advantages of wood burning.

1.  It is renewable.
Trees can be grown at the same rate as they are burnt.

2.  It is reliable.

3.  Although burning wood produces carbon dioxide,
it does not contribute to global warming.
This is because the growing trees take in carbon dioxide for photosynthesis
at the same rate that the power station emits carbon dioxide during burning.

Disadvantages.

1.  Wood burning produces sulfur dioxide which causes acid rain.

2.  A large area is needed to grow enough trees
to keep the power station running.
The land could be used for other purposes, for example growing food.

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