This is case study of biomass and hydrogen revolution by Ratnesh kanungo.

1. Topic:-
Energy from biomass and hydrogen revolution
Project by:
Ratnesh kanungo
Reg no:15BIT0257
B.Tech(IT)(VIT,vellore)

2. What is Biomass
Biomass fuels come from things that once lived: wood
products, dried vegetation, crop residues, aquatic plants
and even garbage. It is known as 'Natural Material'. Plants
used up a lot of the sun's energy to make their own food
(photosynthesis). They stored the foods in the plants in the
form of chemical energy. As the plants died, the energy is
trapped in the residue. This trapped energy is usually
released by burning and can be converted into biomass
energy.
Wood is a biomass fuel. It is renewable. As long as we
continue to plant new trees to replace those cut down, we
will always have wood to burn. Just as with the fossil fuels,
the energy stored in biomass fuels came originally from
the Sun.To many people, the most familiar forms of
renewable energy are the wind and the sun. But biomass
(plant material and animal waste) is the oldest source of
renewable energy, used since our ancestors learned the
secret of fire.

3. Types of Beneficial Biomass
Most scientists believe that a wide range of biomass
resources are “beneficial” because their use will clearly
reduce overall carbon emissions and provide other
benefits. Among other resources, beneficial biomass
includes
1. energy crops that don’t compete with food crops for
land
2. portions of crop residues such as wheat straw or corn
Stover
3. sustainably-harvested wood and forest residues, and
4. Clean municipal and industrial wastes.
Beneficial biomass use can be considered part of the
terrestrial carbon cycle—the balanced cycling of carbon
from the atmosphere into plants and then into soils and
the atmosphere during plant decay. When biopower is
developed properly, emissions of biomass carbon are
taken up or recycled by subsequent plant growth within a
relatively short time, resulting in low net carbon emissions.

4. Beneficial biomass sources generally maintain or even
increase the stocks of carbon stored in soil or plants.
Beneficial biomass also displaces carbon emissions from
fossil fuels, such as coal, oil or natural gas, the burning of
which adds new and additional carbon to the atmosphere
and causes global warming.
Among beneficial resources, the most effective and
sustainable biomass resources will vary from region to
region and also depend on the efficiency of converting
biomass to its final application, be it for biopower, biofuels,
bioproducts, or heat.
Energy Crops
Energy crops can be grown on farms in potentially large
quantities and in ways that don’t displace or otherwise
reduce food production, such as by growing them on
marginal lands or pastures or as double crops that fit into
rotations with food crops. Trees and grasses that are
native to a region often require fewer synthetic inputs and
pose less risk of disruption to agro-ecosystems.

5. Switchgrass
Switchgrass is a perennial grass that grows throughout the
Great Plains, the Midwest and the South. Switchgrass is a
hardy species—resistant to floods, droughts, nutrient poor
soils, and pests—and does not require much fertilizer to
produce consistent high yields .Today, switchgrass is
primarily cultivated either as feed for livestock or, due to its
deep root structure, as ground cover to prevent soil
erosion. However, this prairie grass also has promise for
biopower and biofuel production (see profile of Show-Me
Energy below). If demand for switchgrass outstrips the
capacity of marginal lands, it could, however, compete
with other crops for more productive land.
Wood
Wood is the conventional biomass energy used in the
home - though it can be used for much larger buildings or
even communities.
Woody biomass production comprises forestry products,
waste wood, cardboard, waste pellets and straw. A farmer
in Northamptonshire now crops miscanthus, or elephant
grass, which produces 12ft high canes for use in power
stations or as horse bedding.
Used on its own or in conjunction with fossil fuels it is
possible for woody biomass fuel to reduce carbon dioxide
emisssions, whilst in some instances can also reduce
waste treatment costs.

6. Biogas
Sewage or manure is used to generate biogas. After
feeding slurry into a digester, conversion can take from
10days to several weeks.
In Nepal a cow dung biogas project won the Ashden
Award for Sustainable Energy in 2005 where 66 of the 75
districts are running the scheme. In Sweden cow entrails
are used to power the trains system.
Landfill gas
Landfill sites produce a 50:50 mix of carbon dioxide and
methane as organic materials decompose. Sites which
hold less organic material produce less gas. The methane
is used to generate electricity or to provide process heat.
33% of the UK's renewable energy in 2003 came from
landfill gas.
This form of energy generation is symptomatic of a society
that cannot deal with its waste. Hopefully, as local
authorities become adept at separating waste and
householders compost where possible, this form of
renewable energy will subside.
Fermentation
Bioethanol and Biodiesel are forms of fermented biomass.
To produce bioethanol sugars are converted into ethanol.
Bioethanol can be mixed with petrol or used directly if an
adapted engine is used. The most efficient sources are

7. sugar cane and beet, though potatoes, corn, wheat and
barley can also be used. Forestry waste, energy crops and
waste paper are all in the research phase to produce
bioethanol.
Vegetable oils, animal fats or recycled cooking oil can be
made into biodiesel. The refining process does have a
carbon cost, but typical carbon dioxide emissions are still
reduced, as compared to fossil fuels, by 60%.

8. Conclusions for Biomass-Energy
Biomassenergybringsnumerousenvironmental benefits—particularlyreducing many
kinds of air pollutionandnetcarbonemissions.Biomasscanbegrownandharvestedin
ways thatprotectsoil quality,avoiderosion,andmaintainwildlife habitat.However,the
environmentalbenefitsofbiomassdependondevelopingbeneficial biomassresourcesand
avoiding harmful resources.
In additionto its manyenvironmental benefits,beneficial biomassofferseconomicand
energysecuritybenefits. Bygrowingour fuelsathome,we reducethe needto import
fossil fuelsfrom otherstatesandnations,andreduceourexpensesandexposureto
disruptionsinthatsupply.
Hydrogen Fuel

9. Hydrogen is one of two natural elements that combine to
make water. Hydrogen is not an energy source, but an
energy carrier because it takes a great deal of energy to
extract it from water. It is useful as a compact energy
source in fuel cells and batteries. Many companies are
working hard to develop technologies that can efficiently
exploit the potential of hydrogen energy. This page lists
articles about hydrogen fuel as an alternative energy
source.

11. THE HYDROGEN REVOLUTION!
Hydrogen is quickly being realized as the preeminent
energy source of the new millennium. The primary
technology that is "fueling"(how handy!) this momentum is
the emergence of Fuel Cell technology. Common sense,
advancements in technology and environmental concerns
have all contributed to this exciting new solution to our
global energy needs.

12.  Common Sense: Hydrogen is the most abundant
element in the universe. Its most commonly thought of
source is water, which covers three quarters of our
globe. Hydrogen can be produced from water through
electrolysis, freeing up the oxygen molecule to the
atmosphere. Hydrogen can then be stored as a gas, a
liquid or a solid.
 Advancements in Technology: The first successful
application was used in the 1960s when NASA began
using the technology to supply power for on-board
electronics and water for the Gemini and Apollo
spacecraft. NASA still uses fuel cells to provide
electricity and water to the space shuttle today.
 Environmental Concerns: In the Automotive
application, the internal combustion engine has
served mankind well, but not without costs. The
emissions of VOC's (volatile organic compounds)
have jeopardized our air quality and the ozone layer
protecting us from the sun's dangerous ultraviolet
rays. Hydrogen provides as close to a perfect "closed
loop" energy source as we have found, with no impact
on our environment. We can obtain pure hydrogen
through the process of water electrolysis (using
electricity to separate the hydrogen from the oxygen),
with oxygen being released into the atmosphere. A
reformer will strip the hydrogen molecules from the
gas, and the same scenario will repeat itself as
above, with a small, harmless amount of water being
released into the atmosphere.

13. Conclusions for Hydrogen Energy Revolution
There isa quietrevolutiontaking placeinthe car industrythatwill fundamentally
changethe waywe live.Imagine citieswithoutsmog.Withoutoil tankers.Withlessnoise.
And all becausethe newvehicleswill be poweredonthe mostcommonelementofall -
hydrogen,aconstituentpartofwater Renewable energysourcessuchaswindand
thermal power wouldbe usedto splitwater into hydrogenandoxygen.Thehydrogen
wouldbe runthroughfuel cellsto create electricitythatcouldpowercars,homes,
factoriesandtransportsystemsandwill give appropriateresultinfuture.
About Me:
I am B.Tech (IT) Student at VIT (Vellore).This
is a simple and short case study about the

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