Farming for Energy

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Can FARMSproduce ENERGY?Most of the energy we utilize comes directly from natural resources found in the earth.Nonrenewable energy sources like fossil fuels can’t be ‘farmed,’ they are mined from the earth.Renewable energy resources such as wind, solar, water, and geothermal energy aren’t technically‘farmed’ either—humans don’t have the ability to create them. However, we can harvest or collecteach of these sources of energy. That leaves us with biomass—the only source of energy that canactually be produced on a farm.Wood is probably the oldest source ofenergy after the sun. For thousands ofyears, people have burned wood to heattheir homes and cook their food. Wood isa biomass because it comes from a tree—which was once living. Energy was passedfrom the sun, to the tree. The energyis stored in the wood until it is burned,releasing the energy as heat.4How Does Biomass Energy Work?Converting biomass to useable formsof energy reduces greenhouse gasemissions in two ways. First, heat andelectrical energy is generated whichreduces our dependence on fossil fuels.Second, greenhouse gas emissionsfrom the organic material itself aresignificantly reduced. Rather thanallowing methane emissions from thedecaying biomass into the atmosphere,they are trapped and converted to auseable form of energy.
Sources ofBiomass EnergyAgricultural Crops & ResiduesStraws, stems, stalks, leaves, and husksthat are leftover after a food crop isharvested and processed.SewageSimilar to animal waste, energy canbe extracted from sewage usinganaerobic digestion to producebiogas.Forestry Crops & ResiduesPulp or timber leftover after trees areharvested from plantations or forests.BiomassSourcesMunicipal Solid WasteMillions of tons of household wasteare collected each year and placed inlandfills.Industrial ResiduesWaste materials from food processingfacilities or meat processing plants.Fruit and vegetable peelings andleftover scraps are examples.Animal ResiduesAnimal manure can be converted tobiogas using anaerobic digestion.See how Michigan State University is generatingelectricity from their food waste and animal manure5
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Farming for Energy

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