HOMER Pro 3.9
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Type: |
Input Variable |
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Units: |
% |
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Symbol: |
kbio |
The amount of carbon contained in the biomass feedstock, expressed as a mass-based percentage. HOMER uses this value to calculate the emissions of CO2, CO, and unburned hydrocarbons.
Tip: If you want HOMER to calculate the system's gross carbon emissions, then you should enter the gross carbon content of the biomass feedstock, which is typically on the order of 50%. On the other hand, if you want HOMER to calculate the system's net carbon emissions, then you should enter the net carbon content of the feedstock, which is typically near zero. The net value takes into account the fact that the carbon in the biomass feedstock was originally absorbed from the atmosphere, and consuming that feedstock as fuel simply puts that carbon back into the atmosphere. The net effect on the atmosphere is near zero if the feedstock is harvested in a sustainable manner, meaning that the rate of consumption of biomass feedstock does not exceed the biosphere's ability to regenerate that feedstock.
A precise estimate of the net carbon content of a biomass feedstock will take into account the carbon emissions associated with the harvesting and processing of the feedstock. It may also account for avoided methane emissions related to the natural decomposition of the feedstock that would have occurred were it not for the consumption of that feedstock to produce energy.
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