Product Code Database
Biomass is material produced by the growth of Microorganism, Plant or Animal. Beyond this general definition, there are differences in how the term is used and applied depending on industry or subject-matter norms. For example, it may be more narrowly defined as just plant matter, or as a combination of plant and animal matter.
The table below summarizes the main types of biomasses and their typical sources.
| +Sources of biomass !Category !Examples | |
| Woody biomass | Trees, branches, bark, sawdust |
| Herbaceous & agricultural biomass | Grasses, straw, husks, shells, crops |
| Aquatic biomass | Algae, aquatic plants, fish, molluscs |
| Animal-derived biomass | Manure, fats, bones, carcasses |
| Microbial biomass | Algae, cyanobacteria, bacteria, yeast |
| Waste-derived biomass | Municipal waste, sewage, waste construction wood |
| +Chemical constituents of biomass !Biological source !Major constituents !Minor constituents | ||
| Plants | Cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin | Proteins, fats and waxes, minerals |
| Animals | Proteins, fats, bones, connective tissue | Carbohydrates, minerals |
There is a general classification of biomass that is produced or sourced for conversion processes. Biofuels such as bioethanol and biodiesel, and bioplastics, are typically derived from primary or “first-generation” source energy-dense plants and oils such as rapeseed, sugarcane, or Maize Their high content of sugars and oils makes them ideal as feedstocks, however, there are drawbacks to their use. As well as inflating the price of the chosen crop due to increased demand, arable land that would otherwise be used to grow food for human and animal consumption is rendered unavailable.
Secondary or “second-generation” source biomass encompasses a much wider variety of plant and animal matter. It may be derived from a relatively pure source, such as wood chippings or grass, or it may be a less well defined solid waste stream. This type of biomass is far more challenging to work with, as it contains a more varied mixture of compounds that cannot be easily converted into useful products. Despite this, there continues to be intensive research and industry interest in second-generation biomass conversion processes due to its potential to re-use potentially valuable products and derivative products that would otherwise be wasted by incineration.
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