Biomass

Just getting my thoughts together on Biomass. Is this kind of how everyone else is going to go about this? Let me know.
Biomass
What is it: If you have ever burned wood then you have used a renewable source of energy known as biomass to produce heat. Biomass is defined as “organic material made from plants and animals.”

But energy does not exist is a vacuum, it comes from somewhere. On earth we get our energy from the suns rays. Plants absorb that energy through photosynthesis and animals chow down on plants (and sometimes other animals) to get energy as well.

So lets go back beside the fire for a moment. When you torch a log you are burning the suns stored energy and releasing it as heat and steam.

There are many other ways to gain access to stored energy in natural materials though. Below are some of the different types of technology.

Wood/Garbage waste
Biofuel
Biogas -Methane
Ethanol
Algae

Advantages: TK--
Disadvantages: Chemical reactions often have byproducts, which is just a fancy way of saying leftovers. In biomass reactions there is always waste left behind. TK--

Local Information:TK--
http://news.mongabay.com/bioenergy/2008/03/cu-boulder-awarded-project-solar.html

The Obama Factor: Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) will receive a huge boost in funding. The Biomass Program will receive a hefty $800 million dollars in funding.

The Biomass Program's vision:
“A viable, sustainable domestic biomass industry that produces renewable biofuels, bioproducts and biopower, enhances U.S. energy security, reduces our dependence on oil, provides environmental benefits including reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and creates economic opportunities across the nation.”

The stimulus sets aside this money for TK---

Additional Resources:
http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/energyfacts/sources/renewable/biomass.html - an informative and basic description of biomass.
Information on Biomass lobbyist spending: http://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/clientsum.php?lname=US+Biomass+Power+Producers+Alliance&year=2008

Graphics/interactive ideas: TK--