Ch En 310
Reading
Questions for Class 15
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/biomass/technologies.html
http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/solar.renewables/page/rea_data/trends.pdf
http://www.et.byu.edu/%7Elarryb/Biomass.htm
Topic: Biomass
The reading assignment is to read most of
the pages on the above websites. These were
the best websites that I could find. Additional
sites are listed below. You could also
check a book out of the library on Renewable Energy, which might be a
substitute.
A. Renewable Energy
1. Show
a pie chart with the distribution of renewable energy sources in the
B. Biomass
2. What
fuels are considered biomass? Why are
these considered renewable, and why are they considered CO2-neutral? How do the energy content and composition of
biomass differ from coal and petroleum?
3. Biomass
is generally divided into the categories of (a) energy crops and (b)
wastes. Which form(s) is getting the
most attention, and why?
4. Discuss
the ways that biomass can be used for power, fuel, or chemicals, including
thermal and sugar platforms for conversion.
5. Why
are existing biomass-to-electricity plants so small? How small are they? Why are the efficiencies for the small power
plants so much lower than for the large power plants?
6. What
is black liquor, and why is it such an attractive source for improved bioenergy?
7. What
is the overall DOE forecast for the percentage of energy production from
biomass in the next 20 or so years? http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/aeo/aeoref_tab.html
8. Explain
(a) what is meant by an “oxygenate” in gasoline, (b) why it is needed, and (c)
how that affects energy needs from biomass.
9. Please
discuss the difference between the following biomass-derived fuels: B20, E85,
and E10 (search internet for “B20 fuel”, etc.).
Please comment on the pluses and minuses of using these fuels.
Write a question that will help the next
class better study an important point in this chapter, or that will serve as a
good discussion topic.