Alternative energy, the door to the future and the elimination of dependence on limited fuel resources. Oil is a limited resource and is something the world constantly needs. Transportation, heat and energy are all powered by this substance. Since everyone draws from a well, it will eventually dry up. While some look to the sun, hydrogen or electricity to power vehicles, a quicker solution would be to look to nature itself. Biomass and biofuels exist all around us and contain unlocked potential. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Biomass comes from living or recently living organisms. Biomass or biological material most often refers to plant or plant-derived materials. This renewable form of energy can be harnessed through two separate means. The first process occurs through combustion. The second process is built on top of the first. After the biomass has gone through the combustion process, the biomass can be further refined into different forms of "biofuel". There are three forms of combustion that can be used to convert biomass into a usable form of energy. Thermal or thermal conversion is the process that uses heat as the primary mechanism to convert biomass into biofuel. Chemical conversion includes a number of different sub-processes within it, but gasification is the most common form. Biochemical conversion takes advantage of nature's natural way of breaking down materials through the use of enzymes and other microorganisms. From here the fuel can be separated into two different categories, first and second generation. First generation biofuels came from sugar cane, corn starch and other natural elements. The sugars contained in these fuels are used in the production of bioethanol. Bioethanol can be used in fuel cells and serve as an alternative to gasoline. Second generation biofuels, made from lignocellulosic biomass or dry plant matter such as wood. Although this is the most widely used biofuel, technological problems prevent this biofuel source from being used more often. Issues such as chemical inertness and structural rigidity need to be further mastered. What makes second-generation biomass a better form of biofuel is our ability to mass-produce it. Products such as miscanthus, switchgrass, corn, hemp and bamboo can be grown relatively quickly to support the fuel and energy industry. All living things that make up biomass and biofuels go through what is known as carbon fixation, which is part of the carbon cycling process. Carbon dioxide together with other molecules such as nitrous oxide and water vapor constitute the so-called greenhouse gases. As for carbon dioxide levels within the ozone layer, a proper balance is said to be needed to stop the further progression of global warming. There are two sides to the question of whether or not biofuels can bring balance or further damage the ozone layer. Research indicates that biomass fuel releases higher levels of carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides than standard coal and natural gas sources. The second theory states that biomass fuel will reduce further increases in carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere. Biomass is sometimes considered a net-zero energy source.