Biomass for energy can include a wide range of materials.

There are five basic categories of material:

• virgin wood, from forestry, arboricultural activities or from wood processing
• energy crops: high yield crops grown specifically for energy applications
• agricultural residues: residues from agriculture harvesting or processing
• food waste, from food and drink manufacture, preparation and processing, and post-consumer waste
• industrial waste and co-products from manufacturing and industrial processes.