What does a biomass plant technician do?

What is a Biomass Plant Technician?

Biomass plant technicians are employed by companies that produces renewable energy from plant matter or animal matter. The biomass material that is created from plant matter can either be used directly or converted into biofuel.

A biomass plant technician has a variety of responsibilities during this complicated process. However, the technician's most important daily responsibility is to ensure safety by controlling and monitoring the production of these alternative energy sources.

What does a Biomass Plant Technician do?

What is biofuel made of? Examples of plant matter used to make biofuel include branches that have fallen off trees, dead trees, wood chips, tree stumps, and yard clippings. Some biomass plants grow their own plants to convert into biofuel, including hemp, corn, willow, sugarcane and eucalyptus.

A biomass plant technician controls and adjusts the production of biofuels and is responsible for performing routine maintenance to the mechanical and electrical equipment used in production. They calculate and load biomass feedback for power generation, and often report on the quality of the feedstock, making reports on the daily data like meter readings.

Other responsibilities can include calculating, measuring, loading, mixing and processing refined feedstock. This is done by mixing additives in the fermentation process.

An important aspect of this job is to keep and maintain records. The types of records that these technicians keep include records of plant maintenance, safety inspections, and repairs that need to be made or have been made.

During routine inspections, biomass plant technicians inspect test results, make any needed adjustments or repairs to specialized equipment, check all electrical components of the equipment, and record all pneumatic instrument readings that are used to show productivity. Biomass plant technicians are trained to troubleshoot most problems, and to recognize problems that need to be outsourced to professional repairmen.

What is the workplace of a Biomass Plant Technician like?

Biomass plant technicians work in biomass manufacturing plants, and are typically part of a small team that works under the supervision of a biofuels production manager.

Biomass plant technicians operate equipment to heat biomass and are responsible for the start, stop, and regulation of all equipment. Power plants are under strict regulations, therefore the biomass plant technician must ensure compliance with safety regulations.