Biomass fuels to the rescue? (FL)

http://www.miamiherald.com/business/story/821554.html

Nobody loves biomass. When talk turns to global warming and the green movement, it's hardly ever mentioned. Biomass can be garbage (literally) or wood chips or sugar-cane remnants or grass.

Still, among energy experts, biomass has some strong supporters, and for good reason: Right now, virtually all the renewable-energy power in Florida comes from biomass, including three plants in Miami-Dade and Broward.

What's more, it's cheap -- cheaper in some instances even than coal, which is generally considered the nation's least expensive way of producing electricity but is also the biggest producer of greenhouse gases that scientists say are heating up the globe.

''We're very strong supporters of biomass,'' says Stephen Smith, head of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy. ''In the short run, it will be a real workhorse.'' But he adds: ``There are various shades of green in biomass. Some is better than others.''

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As a matter of fact around two tons of it a winter, sometimes a little more sometimes a little less.

Been getting in the teens and lower these last few days around here too, 3.6 degree this morning, 18.2 right now.

Mostly gassification with biomass. The designs I've seen should end up with little air emissions. The problem is that lots of companies want to have the SECOND plant running. Nobody wants to be the first.