Biomass Resources

In Missouri Biomass is a term used to describe plant materials such as grasses and trees, as well as materials derived from these plant materials such as animal manure, and paper and wood wastes. Biomass materials are usually thought of as being food products such as corn, or as fiber for use as building materials or for making paper. Another way of describing biomass materials is to identify them as solar energy stored through the process of photosynthesis, which occurs in all green plants.

This stored solar energy can be converted into electrical or steam energy for power or heating in either the residential, commercial, industrial or utility energy use sectors. When the correct mix of collection, processing, energy conversion and transmission technologies are used, biomass energy can provide affordable energy while helping to reduce soil erosion, harmful air emissions and water pollution.

In order to determine whether enough biomass is produced in Missouri to attract development of biomass energy conversion operations to our state an inventory was conducted by researchers at the University of Missouri-Columbia, with funding from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources' Energy Center.  Please click on the title below to download the report.

An Assessment of Biomass Feedstock Availability in Missouri Final Report PDF  New

If you wish to view the tables in an alternative format or if you know of other sets of biomass data for Missouri please contact the Energy Center.