Biomass

Biomass can take many forms, such as: straw, poultry litter, feathers, horse bedding, meat and bone meal, household waste and energy crops. All of these release carbon into the atmosphere when they are burnt, just like any other carbon based fuel. However, the carbon would have been released even if we had not burnt it, or in the case of fuel crops, the carbon released is the same as the carbon absorbed only a few months earlier.

Biomass is not quite carbon-neutral because of the energy used to handle, process and transport the materials. For this reason, the appropriateness of this technology and the choice of fuel depends on location and the local supply chain.

It is vitally important to ensure that the biomass is ethically sourced. Biomass that has displaced food crops or destroyed ecosystems is doing more harm than good.

Similar to biomass is the liquid form, biofuel, which remains controversial. There are instances of forests being razed to clear space for fuel crops, displacement of communities and concern about the energy intensity of some processing techniques. Certainly there is ethically produced biofuel to be found but currently there are no internationally recognised certification schemes or codes. Novarama believe that ethical biofuel has its place but the very limited supply is better used in transport where there are fewer alternatives than in the build environment for which there are many.