BY KEN YOUNG

Biomass in Belize

What is Biomass?

Organic material from plants and animals

Wood, charcoal, biofuel, and everything in-between

Used as energy through combustion, either directly or after conversion to another form

How biomass works

All living things are made of carbon

Combustion converts carbon in organic material and oxygen in the atmosphere into CO2 and H2O

Exothermic reaction: CH4 + 2O2 CO2 + 2H2O + energy

Sources of biomass

Byproducts of agriculture (most importantly, bagasse: leftover plant matter from sugar cane pressing)

Byproducts of construction/idustryBiomass cropsCleared forestsYard clippingsAnimal wasteHuman wasteLandfills

Uses for biomass

Electricity Energy from combustion heats water into steam Turbines generate electricity for an electrical grid Requires a constant supply of biomass for reliable

energy productionHeat

Biomass, usually as wood or charcoal, used for home heating and cooking

Biofuel Mostly used for transportation Include alcohols, methane, biodiesel

Advantages of biomass energy

Carbon neutral (with good practices)Free of other pollutants (with good practices)Sustainable (with good practices)Minimizes existing waste disposal issuesAffordable for individualsLowers fixed costs for industriesCreates domestic jobsMinimizes dependence on foreign energy

Disadvantages of biomass energy

Encourages deforestationDeforestation is unsustainable, carbon

positive, and leads to soil erosion and loss of biodiversity

Without tight emissions standards, creates toxic pollutants

Can drive up food prices through competition for land

Water requirements for growing crops

Biomass in the big picture

Four main energy sources in Belize: Fossil fuels: 75.5% Biomass: 22.7% Hydro: 7.4% Imported electricity: 4.4%

When we take a closer look at electricity: Hydro: 45.9% Imported from Mexico: 27.6% Biomass: 14.1% Fossil fuels: 12.1%

Electricity costs 20-23 cents per kWh in Belize (compare: 12 cents per kWh in the US)

A 60 watt light bulb takes 16.7 hours to use one kWh

Energy outlook in Belize

Four “strategic elements:” Improve energy efficiency and conservation by 30% by

2033 Reduce dependence on fossil fuels by 50% by 2020 Triple the amount of energy carriers derived from

agricultural, forestry, and fisheries production and processing, including municipal solid waste, by 2020

Build the Ministry of Energy, Science and Technology and Public Utilities ability to strengthen its energy portfolio, increase funding and personnel, undertake studies and audits, and raise public awareness

Energy outlook continued…

What these strategic elements mean for biomass development:

Sustainable harvesting of biomass in Belize could be as high as 790,908 tons

Assuming a bias toward transportation, this could be as high as 1.4 million barrels of biofuel by 2033 from sustainable waste streams

That would be enough biodiesel for a 2012 Volkswagen Passat to circle the earth 76,154 times

First priority is to treat all effluents from livestock, industry and human waste by 2020, due to sensitive marine ecosystems

Specific developments

Small, community-based biofuel facilities: Viable 5-10MW Useful for converting local wastes into energy Creates jobs and wealth within communities

Gasification technology in rice factories: Converts rice husks into biogas on site Eliminates costs and environmental concerns of husk

disposal Lowers costs associated with buying/transporting

butane

Specific developments continued

BELCOGEN bagasse project: Completed in 2009, and provided 106 GWh to BEL Largest private investment ever made in Belize ($63

million) Generates electricity by burning 92 % bagasse and 8%

oil Electricity is produced near the Belize Sugar

Industries, to minimize transportation costs Electrostatic precipitators and other state-of-the-art

filtration remove ash, black carbon, and other pollutants from the exhaust

BELCOGEN Bagasse Project

Bibliography

http://www.belize.gov.bz/public/Data/292616181371.pdf http://blogs.worldwatch.org/revolt/a-new-push-for-

renewable-energy-in-belize/http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/our-energy-

choices/renewable-energy/how-biomass-energy-works.html

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2175.html

http://internationalliving.com/countries/belize/live/http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/

2011/10/27/141766341/the-price-of-electricity-in-your-state