9781422285619

10 Renewable Energy

Although biomass might sound like a new term, the use of biomass is as old as fire.

Before the Industrial Revolution in the 18th century, biomass supplied the greater portion of the world’s energy needs. In North America, wood stoves and fireplaces remained the most common means of preparing food and heating homes well into the 19th century. Native Americans and settlers throughout the Great Plains—where trees were scarce—also burned buffalo manure for energy. Settlers learned to burn corn and sunflower stalks, as well as hay compressed into briquettes . Generations There are three main types of biofuels, known as first, second, and third generation. The idea of generation is based on how closely related each fuel is to a food source. For example, first-generation biofuels are made directly from edible food crops