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Biomass as Renewable Source of Energy: Possible Conversion Routes

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  • First Online:
Energy from Organic Materials (Biomass)
  • Originally published in
  • R. A. Meyers (ed.), Encyclopedia of Sustainability Science and Technology, © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2017

Glossary

Biochemical conversion:

Conversion of biomass based on biological processes into energy carriers and/or energy.

Bioenergy:

Bioenergy is defined as energy from biomass.

Biofuel:

Biofuel is a fuel produced directly or indirectly from biomass.

Biomass:

From a scientific and technical point of view, biomass is defined as material of biological origin excluding material embedded in geological formations and/or transformed to fossil.

Conversion route:

A conversion route is defined as the overall processes of production, provision, handling, and processing biomass to the point of delivery of the useful energy.

Physicochemical conversion:

Conversion of biomass based on physical and/or chemical processes into energy carriers and/or energy.

Thermochemical conversion:

Heat-induced conversion of biofuels into energy carriers and/or energy.

Definition of the Subject

Biomass, a renewable source of energy, has been used since the beginning of human culture. Until the introduction of coal,...

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Environmental Technology and Energy Economics (IUE), Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH), Hamburg, Germany

    Martin Kaltschmitt

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  1. Institute of Environmental Technology and Energy Economics (IUE), Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH), Hamburg, Germany

    Martin Kaltschmitt

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Kaltschmitt, M. (2019). Biomass as Renewable Source of Energy: Possible Conversion Routes. In: Kaltschmitt, M. (eds) Energy from Organic Materials (Biomass). Encyclopedia of Sustainability Science and Technology Series. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-7813-7_244

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