BIOMASS SHORTAGE
Biomass in the form of plant material and animal waste has historically been one of the most important sources of energy in the world, and will play a significant role in a global society based on renewable energy.
It is predicted that world demand for biomass will increase substantially over the next years.
The challenge is that there is limited land available for largescale biomass production.
Biomass for energy purposes is a carbon neutral process. This is due to the fact that the CO2 emitted during combustion is balanced by the uptake of CO2 through photosynthesis during biomass growth.
In the scenario "How to combat global Warming" The Bellona Foundation concluded that biomass had an important role to play in reducing CO2 emissions (1). A number of other studies also identify biomass for production of energy as a key element in future non-fossil energy production. However, there are huge variations when concluding on the size of the contribution from biomass (2). A main reason for this variance is differences in predictions of land availability and future yield levels for crop production. Production of biomass normally requires arable land, a requirement that is becoming increasingly difficult to fulfill.
A large-scale sustainable production of biomass in areas that are now non-arable, could significantly add to the potential of bioenergy as a part of future energy solutions.
References:
1) The Bellona Foundation: 135 (2008): How to Combat Global Warming - An ambitious but necessary approach to reduce greenhouse gas emission
2) Berndes, G., M. Hoogwijk, et al. (2003) The contribution of biomass in the future global energy supply: a review of 17 studies. Biomass & Bioenergy 25: 1-28