In searching for answers to reduce carbon emissions, scientists always seem to return to an historic path. Nature creates the most efficient processes and this includes the world’s oldest source of energy: biomass energy. Creating a global roadmap to accommodate the increased demand for energy is now including alternative biomass sources; but this map has to be played out well so that there offset doesn’t actually cause an imbalance in environmental areas.

Biomass includes any of the decomposing plant or animal matter and is used in bioenergy. The renewable energy sources include agricultural crops, wood, manure and municipal organic wastes. The current bioenergy use provides only ten percent of the global energy supply, however, a majority of this is from traditional and inefficient biomass in developing countries where they use it for heating and cooking. Traditional biomass use is associated with severe environmental and health problems. There is a great need to develop advanced technologies for biomass in cookstoves and biogas systems that will have an impact in around 320 million households of the developing countries.

Countries around the world are changing their focus to biomass energy so that it will be altered to potentially supply around twenty percent of the world’s heating demands in building by around 2050. The correct use of bioenergy will also replace the carbon dioxide fuels such as heating oil and coal.

Developing as well as mainstream countries have changed their views toward low-cost, environmentally conscious biomass energy plants that can deploy the best combined power and heat modes as sustainable energy processes. Bioenergy, if planned well, will not deplete water resources, but will instead act as a replacement for the high carbon emission fuels such as oil. This will require high level monitoring as well as certification to ensure a balanced approach without a negative global impact.

Source: http://www.iea.org/newsroomandevents/news/2012/may/name,27319,en.html

3 Responses to “Biomass Energy Stepping up to Play a Role in Future Heat and Electricity Demands”

1. 1
   Don'tCare Says:
   

   As always, big business jumps in, puts a green leaf on their logo and says how much they are focused on ecology. There should be some kind of monitoring system to address all of the various renewable or sustainable energy companies. Bioenergy can be a great thing if we take what we normally would throw out and use it for energy.

   August 11th, 2013 at 8:00 pm
2. 2
   BizarreBabe Says:
   

   I think the words in this article are ‘correct use of bioenergy’. Totally bad if they take an idea and mess up the earth or a particular area. Marketing and public relations always puts a spin on what they are doing, but the reality is what they leave in the wake of the production.

   August 10th, 2013 at 9:04 pm
3. 3
   MiraclesHappen Says:
   

   Absolutely right. Too many companies are setting up biomass industries and not paying attention to the environment. What is the purpose of ripping down trees and forests and creating little wooden pellets to use in fireplaces when the land is left bare? That is just replacing one disaster with another. There is a company called Enviva that is doing just that. They are destroying an ecosystem in the south and saying how much they are saving in carbon emissions.

   August 9th, 2013 at 9:17 am

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