Combustion

• The simplest way to generate electricity from biomass is to burn it. Just like burning coal, oil or gas, the heat generated turns water into high-pressure steam that is used to drive a turbine that generates electricity. Biomass can be burned on its own or along with regular fossil fuels.
  
  

Gasification

• Biomass can be heated in a controlled oxygen environment, so it does not burn, but instead produces a mixture of gases including methane, hydrogen and carbon monoxide. These gases can drive electricity-generating turbines or be burned to generate steam, which in turn drives the turbines.
  
  

Anaerobic Digestion

• Allowing microorganisms to break down the biomass in oxygen-free conditions can produce ethanol and methane. These can then be burned to drive steam powered turbines.
  
  

Considerations

• For the most part, theses methods all involve burning biomass or burning products derived from the biomass. This principle is the same as how electricity is generated from fossil fuels.