Biomass is biological material derived from living, or recently living organisms, like alcohol fuels, waste, and wood. It is a renewable energy source because the energy it contains comes from the sun. Biomass is the oldest source of renewable energy known to humans and supplies almost 15 times as much energy in the United States as wind and solar power combined. Biomass energy has been used since people began burning wood to cook food and keep warm. There are a lot of different biomass energy resources, including food crops, residues from agriculture or forestry, oil-rich algae, the organic component of municipal and industrial wastes, and grassy and woody plants. However, the largest biomass energy resource today is still wood. Biomass sources provide about 3 percent of all energy consumed in the United States and globally, biomass meets about 14 percent of the world´s energy needs. It can be used for power production, fuels and products that would be made from fossil fuels. Biomass energy increases soil quality and reduces erosion, reduces air and water pollution, and improves wildlife habitat. The biomass is reduced, recycled and then reused, which is environmentally friendly. Biomass is a part of the carbon cycle and reduces carbon dioxide emissions by 90 percent compared with fossil fuels. Using biomass can help reduce global warming, and plants to make biomass can be grown over and over. Biofuels are the only renewable liquid transportation fuels available and the use of biomass can reduce dependence on foreign oil. Fewer pesticides and fertilizers are used to grow energy crops and it reduces water pollution. Energy crops improve soil quality and can create better wildlife habitat than food crops. Burning biomass releases almost the same amount of carbon dioxide as burning fossil fuels and the use of biomass energy has the potential to greatly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Biomass offers many economic and energy security benefits, such as reducing the need to import oil and reducing our exposure to disruptions in that supply by growing our fuels at home.