Here is a list of interesting biomass energy facts for the USA:
- Almost 4% of the energy needs in theUSwere covered from biomass energy during 2010. Around half of the biomass energy was produced from wood and its byproducts, 40% was from bio-fuels such as biodiesel and ethanol with the remaining 10% coming from waste to energy that uses our household garbage (municipal solid waste) as fuel.
- Currently there are three main methods of using waste to produce electricity via direct combustion i.e. incineration and thermal treatment i.e. gasification and pyrolysis
- Biodiesel that comes from vegetable oil is eligible for a tax credit of $1 per gallon blended with regular diesel. Biodiesel from used cooking oil is eligible for 50 cents credit per gallon.
- According to the Departments of Agriculture and Energy’s theUScan grow biomass feedstock to satisfy around 30% of its current gasoline needs by 2030 on a sustainable manner without converting any of its current croplands. The same study has estimated that 1.3 billion tons biomass raw material can be used to produce 3 billion gallons of ethanol by 2015.
- The New Hope Partnership plant inFloridais the biggest biomass energy plant in the US and as well in North America. It has a production capacity of 140 megawatt that is produced from incinerating primarily sugar canes. It also uses as fuel recycled urban wood. Its production can satisfy the needs of almost 60,000 households and at the same time the factory’s needs.New Hope Partnership plant reduces the US dependency for oil by almost a million barrels every year.
- Around 60 million tons of potential biomass energy fuel is collected each year in California. If it was used to produce biomass energy, it could result into up to 2000 megawatts of electricity that would suffice to meet the needs in electricity for almost 2 million households.
- North Dakota is the leading state in potential biomass production for its ability to produce raw materials that can be used to produce biomass energy, such as willow switchgrass and hybrid poplar.
- According to Forbes magazine the top five states for their potential in biomass energy are North Dakota,Iowa,Mississippi,Georgia and North Carolina.
- Until the 19th century biomass energy was the most popular form of energy used in the USA either for residential or industrial purposes.
