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Biomass
Biomass is a common form of heating fuel in cold climates. Usually it is in the form of firewood or wood pellets although corn cobs, wheat straw, peat moss, and even some garbage are also forms of biomass. Biomass is considered a renewable resource since it can be replenished fairly fast and therefore has some environmental advantages. Biomass has many advantages, especially in the form of wood. It is readily available in most places and relatively cheap. Moreover, "as it is grown, wood absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. This means that any carbon dioxide emissions produced during the combustion process are cancelled out. This process is sustainable as long as a continual programme of replanting is allowed to replace the fuels used." (5) Burning wood does come at a cost however. Wood stoves generally require the homeowner to spend time lighting them and stoking them. The smoke that is emitted by wood fires can be an annoyance in neighborhoods and is also a significant source of local air pollution. In addition houses heated by wood stoves have a much higher chance of burning down when compared to other sources of heat such as oil. |
