Biomass vs. Biogas — What's the Difference?

Biomass is a broad category of organic material derived from living or recently living organisms, including wood, agricultural residues, and animal waste. Biogas, on the other hand, is a specific gaseous product resulting from the breakdown of biomass in an environment without oxygen (anaerobic). Biomass serves as the raw material, while biogas is one of the end products.

Biomass can be converted into various forms of energy or material products. These can include solid fuels, liquid fuels, and even electricity through combustion or biochemical processes. Biogas is a subset of the energy products that can be produced from biomass, generally formed through anaerobic digestion or fermentation. Biomass has a wider range of applications, whereas biogas is mainly used for heating and electricity generation.

Biomass is often directly burned for heat or converted into pellets, biodiesel, or ethanol. Biogas is typically collected and stored for use as a fuel. In biomass, the energy is stored in the form of chemical bonds in the organic material itself. In biogas, the energy is stored in the form of methane gas, which can be burned to release that energy.

In summary, biomass is the broader term encompassing all types of organic matter that can be used for a range of energy applications. Biogas is a more specific term, describing the gas produced from the anaerobic decomposition of biomass. While biomass offers multiple avenues for energy conversion, biogas is a singular form of renewable energy derived from biomass.