Bioenergy is a form of energy produced through the conversion of biomass. Biomass is living organic matter that contains chemical energy captured during photosynthesis. When burned, biomass releases energy in the form of heat, which can be used to heat buildings or generate electricity. Alternatively, biomass can be converted into fuel or gas to be burned for energy at a later time. For a transcript, please visit https://climatebreak.org/carbon-intensity-of-biofuel-feedstock-with-yuxin-wu/
For a transcript, please visit https://climatebreak.org/carbon-intensity-of-biofuel-feedstock-with-yuxin-wu/
Ethan: How can we ensure bioenergy is truly sustainable? This is Ethan Elkind of Climate Break. Bioenergy is generated by burning organic matter. Although energy derived from plants may be cleaner than energy derived from fossil fuel, it can still be carbon-intensive. Part of the problem is feedstock. Emissions released during the production of feedstock shouldn’t exceed emissions reduced by bioenergy. We’re joined today by Yuxin Wu. Wu is a scientist in Geophysics at Berkeley Lab working to develop a model for measuring the carbon-intensity of biomass feedstocks.
Dr. Wu: One of the key data that's missing is what's the actual value coming from a particular farm. And there are multiple models out there that you can use to predict. But oftentimes it's really difficult to actually measure at a particular farm and to basically validate whether models are predicting.
Ethan: Wu uses a process known as photon absorption to measure nitrous oxide emissions coming from fertilizer. By combining the data with measurements of other emissions, Wu can pinpoint sources of waste on farms. Understanding why and where emissions occur will be important for reducing carbon in the bioenergy supply chain. For more information on Wu’s work at Berkeley Lab, and for more climate solutions, go to climatebreak.org or wherever you get your podcasts.