Introduction
A source of energy can be described as a system from which electricity can be extracted or generated. There are a number of sources of energy that are classified into either renewable or non-renewable energy. Non-renewable energy is characterized by the fact that once it is used, it cannot be regenerated easily (Richardson, 2006, p.3). On the contrary, renewable energy or rather the green energy sources can be regenerated and are thus considered to be unlimited. Each source of energy has its advantages, disadvantages, and economic benefits that make it applicable in a certain situation.
Biomass energy
An example of a green energy source is biomass energy which has found its use and application in modern society because of its economic benefits. Biomass energy is a source of energy that involves the use of natural living matter such as plants and animals. The production involves the use of biodegradable materials such as municipal solid wastes to produce energy especially electricity which can be easily marketed. This is mainly done using thermal conversion, a characteristic of biosphere technology that makes it the most environmentally friendly system of generating energy.
This source of energy is substantially cheap, and therefore, it can be accessed by the majority of people who mainly use it before conversion into electricity (Richardson, 2006, p.5). Biomass energy can be used to replace most non-renewable energies such as petroleum products and the natural gas used for cooking. The latter sources of energy are not renewable and get depleted after use while at the same time polluting the environment. On the other hand, biomass energy is eco-friendly and can be recycled for a long time to generate energy. In addition to this, biomass can be a good substitute for paraffin and natural gas which are mostly used for cooking since it produces the same or even energy.
Advantages
As stated, biomass energy is cheap and accessible to the majority of people. Production of biogas involves the use of biodegradable materials thus environmental effects from the wastes are not so intense (Perez, 2010, p. 1). The conversion of biomass to electricity is also cheap, and thus companies that engage in this activity incur fewer expenses. This is because biomass is a readily available raw material.
Disadvantages
Reckless use of biomass energy has environmental repercussions. The major repercussions of biomass production occur when the burning process is done incompletely resulting in production of large volumes of carbon dioxide which is the primary cause of global warming. From this discussion, biomass is most appropriately used in areas with low population densities.
Reference List
Perez, D. (2010). Sources of Energy. Web.
Richardson, N. (2006). Energy Sources. Web.