| What is Biomass? | | | | in the production of energy that outweighs the |
| To better understand the advantages and | | | | energy needed to produce the fuel in the first place. |
| disadvantages of biomass, one must first know what | | | | This cannot be said for corn and soybeans. |
| the term means. When an alternative fuel is created, | | | | Algae - The New Guy |
| there must be a beginning source for the alcohol. | | | | Using algae as biomass is a relatively new concept, |
| Currently, the most common sources are corn and | | | | but one that people are quickly learning to love. Algae |
| soybeans, but algae are gaining quickly. Corn and | | | | have the ability to produce 100 times more fuel per |
| soybeans have much the same set of pros and cons. | | | | acre than any other biomass currently being used. |
| Algae, on the other hand, is a star player that may | | | | This certainly pushes algae into the upper echelon of |
| be the best of all. | | | | competition. |
| Corn and Soybeans - Good or Bad? | | | | Without the positive benefit of net energy gain, |
| While fossil fuels are the worst source of energy, | | | | manufacturing biofuels is all for the crowd. The Earth |
| corn and soybeans would have to fall in close behind. | | | | and human race need a source of fuel that will cost |
| This is not because they are not beneficial to the | | | | less, environmentally, than the energy it gives and |
| environment, but rather because of the net energy | | | | currently biomass sources do not fulfill that need. |
| gain these sources create. A good biomass will result | | | | |