Biomass is defined as living or recently dead organisms and any byproducts of those organisms, plant or animal. The term is generally understood to exclude coal, oil, and other fossilized remnants of organisms, as well as soils. In this strict sense, biomass encompasses all living things. In the context of biomass energy, however, the term refers to those crops, residues, and other biological materials that can be used as a substitute for fossil fuels in the production of energy and other products. Living biomass takes in carbon as it grows and releases this carbon when used for energy, resulting in a carbon-neutral cycle that does not increase the atmospheric concentration of greenhouse gases.

A wide variety of biomass feedstocks are available and biomass can be produced anywhere that plants or animals can live. Furthermore, most feedstocks can be made into liquid fuels, heat, electric power, and/or biobased products. This makes biomass a flexible and widespread resource that can be adapted locally to meet local needs and objectives.

Some of the most common (and/or most promising) biomass feedstocks are:

• Grains and starch crops – sugar cane, corn, wheat, sugar beets, industrial sweet potatoes, etc.
• Agricultural residues – Corn stover, wheat straw, rice straw, orchard prunings, etc.
• Food waste – waste produce, food processing waste, etc.
• Forestry materials – Logging residues, forest thinnings, etc.
• Animal byproducts – Tallow, fish oil, manure, etc.
• Energy crops – Switchgrass, miscanthus, hybrid poplar, willow, algae, etc.
• Urban and suburban wastes – municipal solid wastes (MSW), lawn wastes, wastewater treatment sludge, urban wood wastes, disaster debris, trap grease, yellow grease, waste cooking oil, etc.

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