Biomass

Biomass (organic matter) can be used to provide heat, make fuels, chemicals and other products, and generate electricity. Wood, the largest source of bioenergy, has been used to provide heat for thousands of years. But there are many other types of biomass - such as plants, agriculture or forestry residues, and the organic component of municipal and industrial wastes - that can now be used to produce fuels, chemicals and power.

Biofuels
A variety of liquid fuels can be made from biomass resources including motor fuels like ethanol and biodiesel.

Biopower
Biopower is the process of using biomass to generate electricity.  Biopower is a broad category that includes the direct combustion of biomass as well as co-firing, gasification, and landfill gas technologies.

Biobased Products
Many chemicals and materials traditionally derived from petrochemicals can be replaced by biobased products made from biomass feedstocks.  Biobased products include green chemicals, renewable plastics, natural fibers, and natural structural materials.

Biomass Topics
USDOE information on biomass resources, technologies, and applications.

Kentucky Biomass/Bioenergy Overview   (PDF 41KB)
Fact sheet on Kentucky's biomass resources (Southeastern SunGrant Center)

Biomass Feedstock Availability in Kentucky
1999 State Level Analysis (Oak Ridge National Laboratory)

Billion Ton Study (PDF 2.75MB)
Biomass as Feedstock for a Bioenergy and Bioproducts Industry: The Technical Feasibility of a Billion-Ton Annual Supply (joint DOE-USDA report)

Note: Some documents above are in Adobe Acrobat (.PDF) format.  Please click on the following link to download a free copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader.

James Bush
500 Mero Street, 12th Floor, Capital Plaza Tower
Frankfort, KY 40601
Phone: (502) 564-7192
In KY:  (800) 282-0868
Fax: (502) 564-7484
E-mail: James.Bush@ky.gov