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13 June 2006 -- The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) has launched a new research project to explore the potential role of biomass as a renewable fuel for electricity generation that also can help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
According to EPRI, biomass, mostly residues and by-products of forest and wood products industries, is the largest non-hydro renewable energy source today and is expected to make up a much more significant portion of electricity supply in the future.
The new project will assess the potential of biomass as a generation fuel for electricity and identify key research needs, with attention to economic assessment, biomass crop and carbon accounting, biomass combustion and gasification technology.
The EPRI project represents the latest biomass research that was initially launched by the Institute in the mid-1970s.
Dedicated biomass-fueled electric power plants and burning biomass fuel in coal-fired power plants (a process known as co-firing) may help electric companies cost-effectively reduce their greenhouse gas emissions while generating electricity, the Institute stated in a press release.
The Institute also pointed to recent analyses that indicate that biomass has even greater long-term potential for CO2 reduction when growth of biomass fuel crops and carbon capture and storage are combined with biomass generation, thereby supplying electricity with very low GHG emissions.
"Biomass is a fuel for the future that can help electric companies to meet increasing electricity demand while reducing greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming," said Adam Diamant, EPRI Project Manager.
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