Word: biomass
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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...nation's energy requirements by the turn of the century." The Harvard researchers have adopted the Department of Energy's extremely broad definition of solar to include not only power from the sun's rays but also hydropower and energy derived from the burning of "biomass," which includes wood, plants and other organic matter. The chapter's supposition is that rising costs of fossil fuels will make the installation price of solar heating an extremely attractive investment to homeowners, yielding as much as 17% annually. Although the Harvard researchers propose more than $1 billion in Government...
...produce synthetic fuels would be the most ambitious technical venture that the U.S. has ever undertaken. From outright subsidies to price guarantees, the Government would offer many incentives for private firms to produce oil-like liquids and natural gas from the nation's plentiful coal, shale rock and biomass.* Congressmen are infatuated with the idea of synthetic-fuel production. Cracks Representative Clarence Brown of Ohio: "Every committee in Congress has a synfuel bill, except the Ethics Committee...
...conversion of biomass into energy has been increasing even without Government help. Power plants in many cities, including New York, Chicago and Milwaukee, burn garbage to produce electricity, and more and more grain, sugar cane, wood wastes and other residues are being fermented into alcohol fuels...
...Biomass. One new slogan: If it grows, burn it-or convert it to energy. Homeowners, utilities, manufacturers and municipal governments are experimentally burning all forms of natural growth, or biomass, including urban garbage, sugar cane, walnut shells and plants. At the same time, government-funded projects are examining means to extract energy from common biological wastes like animal manures. A poultry farmers' cooperative in Arkansas will soon recycle 100 tons of chicken manure daily to produce 1.2 million cu. ft. of methane equal to 12,000 gal. of gasoline; it is then used to power automobiles that have engines...
Wood is by far the most promising popular biomass fuel, especially in the thickly forested areas. In northern New England, where energy costs 26% more than the national average, nearly 20% of all homes rely on wood as a primary heating source. Its use has grown sixfold since 1970 because 1) new, all-enclosed wood stoves increase heat efficiency way above that of open fireplaces, and 2) new central-heating furnaces that burn both wood and oil can save up to 200 gal. of oil for each cord (128 cu. ft.) of wood consumed. A New England Congressional Caucus study...