GC: n

CT: Biomass fuel is defined in several ways. A restricted definition of biomass includes only fuels from recent photosynthesis and, as such, biomass could be considered as carbon neutral. An expanded definition of biomass also encompasses municipal waste (residential and commercial garbage) that is incinerating. In both cases, the biomass energy source is the hydrocarbon fuel that is typically burned. The biomass fuels, however, possess less chemical energy per unit mass than do traditional fossil fuels.

S: EECT – http://goo.gl/dWoJWS (last access: 25 November 2014).

N: 1. bio (prefix): word-forming element, from Greek bio-, comb. form of bios “one’s life, course or way of living, lifetime” (as opposed to zoe “animal life, organic life”), from PIE root *gweie-.

• The correct usage is that indicated in the biography, but in modern science it has been extended to mean “organic life.”
  mass (n): “lump, quantity, size,” late 14c., from Old French masse “lump, heap, pile; crowd, large amount; ingot, bar” (11c.), and directly from Latin massa “kneaded dough, lump, that which adheres together like dough,” probably from Greek maza “barley cake, lump, mass, ball,” related to massein “to knead,” from PIE root *mag– “to knead”.
  fuel (n): early 14c., from Old French foaile “bundle of firewood,” from Vulgar Latin legal term *focalia “right to demand material for making fire,” neuter plural of Latin focalis “pertaining to a hearth,” from focus “hearth”. Figurative use from 1570’s.

2. Biofuel: Biomass (or materials derived from biomass processing) that are utilized for generation of energy via combustion.

3. Most commonly solid lignocellulosics.

4. In French, a distinction is made between “biocombustible” and “biocarburant,” the latter having a more restrictive meaning. “Biocarburants” are “biocombustibles” that are only used to feed spark and compression-ignition engines and reaction engines.

S: 1. Etymonline – http://goo.gl/xii4KQ (last access: 25 November 2014). 2 to 4. TERMIUM PLUS – http://goo.gl/hws6e5 (last access: 25 November 2014).

SYN: biofuel

S: TERMIUM PLUS (last access: 25 November 2014); GDT (last access: 25 November 2014).

CR: biocatalysis, biofuel, biodiesel , bioethanol , biomass, biomass energy, e-fuel, fuel, olive mill wastewater, vegetable water.