Biomass is an exceptionally dependable source of renewable energy. Unaffected by the weather, It can produce a steady flow of electricity 24 hours a day, seven days week. This makes it ideal as a baseload energy source for power systems, utilities and customersClean power from biomass is typically generated using discarded organic residue –agricultural and forestry byproducts such as straw, corn stover, sawdust and wood scraps. The materials are burned efficiently to produce steam, which drives a turbine that turns a generator to create electricity.  Biogas is a unique subset of biomass, and is often produced through anaerobic digestion processes.

Recognizing the potential of this alternative source of energy, EDF EN Canada is currently developing biomass processes – learning from the experience and expertise of EDF Energies Nouvelles and its American affiliate, enXco.

EDF Energies Nouvelles’ biomass power plant in Lucena, Spain, uses residue from the local olive oil industry to generate 26 MW of green electricity. Click here to learn more about this project.

Biomass energy offers significant advantages in addition to reliability:

More jobs, more places.
Significant job creation is tied to remote, rural and northern communities that seek diversification. Permanent employees collect, process and transport fuels to power a biomass plant requires, and operators are hired to run the power plant.

Diverts waste.
By recycling materials, biomass energy producers ease the strain on community landfills and lessen the need for open burning of agricultural wastes.

Lower emissions.
Biomass energy offsets carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels and eliminates methane gas, a highly potent greenhouse gas that is released when organic wastes are left to decompose.