From soaring temperatures to extreme weather events around the world, the impact of climate change on our planet is clear to see. 

As governments and individuals try to change their behaviour to be more environmentally friendly, net zero pledges are among the key ways the world might be able to make a discernible difference to the issue.

The introduction of alternative fuels, such as biomass, is one key way in which countries can make good on these net zero commitments. 

At RF Recycling, not only do we provide effective waste management solutions to communities across Ringwood, Salisbury, Bournemouth and the surrounding areas, but we’re also committed to sustainability across everything we do.

At our dedicated recycling centres, we provide a leading biomass waste-to-energy service that allows us to produce clean and renewable energy which can be used for a variety of purposes. 

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at how biomass waste is helping with the road to net zero. 

What is net zero?

One of the main ways to limit the impacts of global warming on the planet is to limit the increase in global temperatures to just 1.5°C. This is the magic number and scientists believe that staying below this figure is essential if we are to prevent irreparable damage to the world.     

In order to achieve this goal, many countries, including the UK, have pledged to reach net zero by the year 2050. 

Net zero refers to a 100% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by this year. However, it does not mean that in 2050 the country will be using no greenhouse gases whatsoever. Instead, it means that we will absorb more carbon than we produce via a range of sustainable practices.

This includes utilising alternative fuels which do not cause as much pollution as greenhouse gases — biomass fuel being one of the main ways to do this.   

What is Biomass? 

While you may have heard of biomass before and know that it’s a sustainable fuel option, you might be unsure of what it is exactly.

In short, biomass refers to any kind of organic material that can be used to produce energy. This includes wood, plants and human or animal waste that has come from industry, agriculture or households. 

The biomass is then converted into energy by recycling centres where it becomes known as biomass energy or bioenergy. 

What are the benefits of biomass energy?

The process of converting biomass into bioenergy involves burning the material in such a way that produces high-pressure steam. 

The steam then rotates the turbines of a generator to create electricity.  

While the environmentally friendly nature of this type of energy is clearly its main advantage, there are a whole host of other benefits to biomass energy. 

This includes:

• It is infinite – Another sustainable advantage of biomass is that it provides the world with an infinite amount of resources. As well as their polluting nature, greenhouse gases are also non-renewable, whereas bioenergy will last forever and is a renewable resource.

• Creates jobs – As we shift towards renewable energy production, more and more jobs will be created. This includes a range of industries such as manufacturing, agriculture and more.    

• Increased energy security – One of the main benefits of bioenergy is that it makes countries less dependent on foreign energy sources and boosts domestic energy production. In recent years, this issue has been brought into focus by the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine. Both events caused an energy shortage in many countries and created a spike in prices. Bioenergy means that countries can rely on their domestic supply and, hopefully, provide cheaper prices for consumers. 

At RF Recycling Group, we have two dedicated recycling centres where we produce biomass energy, demonstrating our commitment to sustainability. To find out more about our range of recycling services, get in touch with our team today.