Simplified process of photosynthesis. (Source: © Ivelin / stock.adobe.com)

The energy of sunlight that a plant has built into its tissues through chemical bonds during the process of photosynthesis. During photosynthesis, the plant uses energy from the sun to synthesize sugars, starches and other carbohydrates from water and carbon dioxide. These molecules then serve as an energy store for other processes in the plant. Bonded chemical energy can be released, for example, by burning the plant material. Biomass energy thus harnesses stored solar energy. Every year, plants store around 130 terawatts of solar energy in their tissues, which is several times the energy consumption of the entire human civilisation.