How will biomass solve local and global problems?

Answer 1

Burning biomass (plant, vegetable matter and wood scraps) is a way of generating electricity that does not contribute to global warming. It could replace some fossil fuel burning power plants and lead to a reduction in global warming.

Burning biomass does add carbon dioxide (CO2) to the atmosphere, but it is CO2 that was recently taken out of the atmosphere (when the plants were growing) so this is not extra CO2. Burning biomass then is part of the natural carbon cycle which moves CO2 in and out of the atmosphere.

The carbon dioxide that comes from burning fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas) was taken out of the atmosphere millions of years ago, so releasing it now is adding extra CO2 (and causing global warming).

This is why biomass is renewable energy and better than fossil fuels.