Clean fuel advocates are saying that burning wood and plants materials is not only greener than windmills, but can save money as well, the Indianapolis Star reported. A recent report estimates that biomass will grow to a $1.5 billion global industry by 2012. Although there are few businesses in Indiana that use biomass for their own purposes, but plans are being made to build biomass plants to generate electricity for the public power grid. Indiana has a ready supply of both corn stover and waste from the state's $17 billion hardwood lumber industry. Green enthusiasts are fans of biomass, since it doesn't require corn to be diverted from use as livestock feed or for making starch.

(Indianapolis Star, November 23, 2009)

(http://www.indystar.com/…)

DTN: Researchers from Purdue University's Energy Frontier Research Center believe that implementing bio-energy crops could be a boost to farmers in Indiana and elsewhere, and that biomass is a green alternative that uses material that would otherwise be discarded. Biomass opponents claim that some methods of harvesting biomass stresses the environment, such as harvesting wood from virgin forests or from fields along river or stream banks. Critics also argue that burning biomass releases toxins and carbon dioxide into the air without proper environmental controls. (Cheryl Anderson)