There are five basic categories of biomass:

1. Virgin wood from forestry or waste from forest products: palm kernel shells, woodpellets, woodchips, sawdust.

2. Energy crops — high-yield crops grown specifically for energy applications: hybrid eucalyptus, Jatropha, Pongamia and perennial grasses like Miscanthus and Napier grass growing on marginal land, not fit for agriculture.

3. Agricultural residues: bagasse from sugarcane, corn husks, coconut shells, straw.

4. Food waste, animal fat, residues from food and drink manufacturing, prepara­tion and processing, such as used cooking oil from sunflower oil, tallow, and greases. Great examples of companies processing their waste are McDonald’s (oil) and Tyson Foods (slaughter residues, fats).

5. Industrial waste from manufacturing and industrial processes.

However, currently 99% of all biomass in these five categories is still not recy­cled. People do not have the knowledge or the financial means to recycle animal fat

into biodiesel.

8.3