Bioenergy
For information on bioenergy in local communities, visit the Cape & Islands Energy Information Clearinghouse.

Bioenergy is energy stored in organic material. There are many types of biomass that are used as sources of energy, such as wood, plants, municipal solid waste, and organic wastes. People have been using bioenergy for thousands of years in the form of wood fires, but now modern biofuels are being applied for making electricity, creating heat, and powering vehicles.

This bus runs on soybean-derived biodiesel

Electricity is produced from burning biomass directly or by using gases or liquid fuels made from it. The heat is used to sping a turbine and turn a generator that makes electricity. For example, most of the municipal solid waste generated on Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard is transformed into electricity at the SEMASS waste-to-energy plant in Rochester, MA.

Biomass can also be converted into liquid fuels that may used in vehicles or home heating systems. Ethanol is a gasoline additive made from biomass high in carbohydrates, and biodiesel is a diesel fuel alternative made from oils or fats. Through a simple chemical reaction you can even make your own biodiesel with used cooking oil.

Image from National Renewable Energy Laboratory