Biomass and waste as sustainable resources

Abstract

Biomass, as the main contributor to renewable energy in the world (about 13% of total energy consumption), is a versatile energy source-it can be stored and converted in practically any form of energy carrier and also into biochemicals and biomaterials from which, once they have been used, the energy content can be recovered to generate electricity, heat, or transport fuels. It covers a broad range of products, including traditional use of wood for cooking and heating, industrial process heat, co-firing of biomass in coal-based power plants, biogas and biofuels. Moreover, the possibility to use residues and waste as a biomass feedstock enables the production of huge quantities of energy and environmental benefits all over the world, without any fertile land use or any competition with food or feed. Since residues and wastes are part of the short carbon cycle, their use for energy purposes has a minimal extra GHG emission. © Springer-Verlag London Limited 2012.