Glossary | Climate Lexicon B

Bioenergy, Biofuels

Bioenergy refers to energy derived from organic materials that come from plants and animals. These materials can be biomass, waste, or even wastewater. Bioenergy can come in different forms, such as heat, electricity and fuel.

One of the most common forms of bioenergy is the use of biomass, such as wood, plants, and organic waste, to generate heat and electricity. This can be done either through combustion or fermentation. Biofuels, such as ethanol and biodiesel, are produced from plant oils and residues and can be used to fuel automobiles.

Bioenergy is often considered an environmentally friendly alternative to fossil fuels because it is CO2 neutral, as the plants from which it comes absorb CO2 as they grow. However, there are also criticisms of bioenergy, especially when it comes to using food crops as biofuels, as this can lead to food shortages and higher prices.

There are also special forms of bioenergy, such as algae energy, which is obtained by using algae, and biogas production, which is obtained by fermenting organic waste and wastewater.

Biomass

This term refers to organic, non-fossil, biogenic substances that can be used to generate energy, such as wood and rapeseed oil.

Blue Angel

The “Blue Angel”(in Europe) is an environmental label for products and services which helps to protect our environment. This label is the Swiss Federal Government's environmental label for the protection of people and for our environment.