Biomass

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Biomass by life form
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Biomass is a term used in several contexts: in the context of ecology it means living organisms,[1] and in the context of bioenergy it means matter from recently living (but now dead) organisms. In the latter context, there are variations in how biomass is defined, e.g., only from plants,[2] from plants and algae,[3] from plants and animals.[4] The vast majority of biomass used for bioenergy does come from plants. Bioenergy is a type of renewable energy that the bioenergy industry claims has the potential to assist with climate change mitigation.[5]

IUPAC definition

biomass: Material produced by the growth of microorganisms, plants or animals. [6]

  1. ^ Houghton, R. A. (2008-01-01), "Biomass", in Jørgensen, Sven Erik; Fath, Brian D. (eds.), Encyclopedia of Ecology, Oxford: Academic Press, pp. 448–453, ISBN 978-0-08-045405-4, retrieved 2023-01-13
  2. ^ "Bioenergy – Analysis". IEA. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  3. ^ "Bioenergy Basics". Energy.gov. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  4. ^ "Biomass explained - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)". www.eia.gov. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  5. ^ "Renewable Energy Sources and Climate Change Mitigation. Special Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change" (PDF). IPCC. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2019-04-12.
  6. ^ "biomass". Gold Book. IUPAC. 2014. doi:10.1351/goldbook.B00660. Retrieved 1 April 2024.