As renewable energy continues to gain popularity worldwide, more countries are turning to biomass as a potential renewable energy source. Australia has recently begun to explore the energy production possibilities of biomass.

Biomass is the collective name given to all of the plants and animals living on Earth. Energy derived from plants and animals, usually waste or wood byproducts, is most often obtained from burning materials in a steam generator. The energy that is produced usually takes the form of electricity, though some biomass is used to create fuels for processes such as transportation; however, more research is being conducted in this area in order to reduce production costs.

Because wood is an ideal form of biomass and readily available, there is concern that harmful deforestation will occur. A power company in the community of Esperance in Western Australia has devised a plan to create a tree plantation and use the trees grown there as the source of its biomass for electricity production.

In Australia, coal is still the cheapest form of electricity production. Though technically a form of biomass because it is created from plant matter, it is not a renewable resource because there is a significant carbon footprint left behind from its use. To be truly renewable, the source should produce only the amount of carbon dioxide it consumed while carrying on life processes.

In an effort to promote renewable fuels, Australia has stepped up its fuel production using sugar. Processing sugar produces a fibrous by product called bagasse. Bagasse is then burned in order to produce steam that powers electrical generators. And because humans fall under the category of biomass, the waste we produce is another wonderful source of renewable energy. Anything from sewage, to lawn clippings, to garbage is usable. Why not utilize waste products instead of filling up space with them? As a matter of fact, The Business Council for Sustainable Energy in Australia estimates that landfills account for nearly 105 megawatts in landfill gas. The Council also estimates that sewage farms around the country have the capacity to produce 26 megawatts of electricity.

As research is performed to find cheaper transportation fuel alternatives, much focus is given to ethanol production. Ethanol is produced as organisms feed on the sucrose found in plants such as corn and sugar cane. These organisms convert the sucrose to ethanol, a flammable alcohol that can be used to fuel vehicles.

Though still relatively new to the biomass game Australia is accelerating its efforts, and plans for renewable energy to account for 20% of its electricity generation by 2020, with biomass accounting for half of this gain.