October 19 is National Bioenergy Day
When conversations turn to renewable energy, many people talk about solar and wind. But there’s another significant renewable resource of which many people are scarcely aware – and it’s all around us. Biomass: organic matter derived from plant-based materials, like wood.
Biomass is more prominent than you may know. In 2013, about 23 percent of all renewable energy consumed in the U.S. was from wood (Energy Information Administration). That’s more than solar and wind combined, and second only to hydroelectric energy. It’s also worth noting that biomass is available 24/7 – even when the sun doesn’t shine and the wind doesn’t blow.
National Bioenergy Day 2016
For the fourth year running, several prominent biomass industry stakeholders are uniting to increase awareness of biomass energy by organizing National Bioenergy Day. On October 19, participating organizations from throughout the U.S. and Canada are opening their doors and inviting the public in to see firsthand the many benefits bioenergy offers. Many are having open houses with site tours of their operations, and some are even offering free hamburgers! It’s a great, free way to learn more about bioenergy and how it’s contributing to sustainable energy.
Bioenergy Day events will be happening throughout the U.S. and Canada. Search for an event in your area here.
What is Biomass?
Bioenergy provides approximately 2.5 percent of U.S. total energy, and supplies jobs for tens of thousands of people. It is clean, renewable energy made from plant materials that are of low value or may otherwise be discarded, like forest thinnings, residues, agricultural waste or construction/industrial wood waste. It can be used for heating, cooling and/or to produce electricity.
Many independent power producers across North America produce electricity for the grid using bioenergy. Hundreds of college campuses, hospitals, and government buildings use bioenergy for heat and electricity. Businesses with organic waste products, like agricultural farms, recycle their crop waste to power or heat their buildings. At the consumer level, thousands of American homes use Quadra-Fire wood- and pellet-burning stoves and fireplace inserts for green heat and to reduce their heating costs – perhaps you are one of them?
One of the organizations uniting to organize Bioenergy Day is the Biomass Thermal Energy Council. You can learn more about biomass by visiting their website.
Interested in using renewable biomass to heat your home this winter? Here’s how the most efficient wood stoves create cost savings for your home.