Chapter 2 - The Present Role of Biomass Energy

Abstract

This chapter provides an overview of the present role of biomass energy in the developing countries. It presents an approximation of the global magnitude of biomass energy use and the available quantitative data on biomass energy usage. The chapter describes the characteristics of biomass utilization—what types of biomass are used for fuel in the developing countries, how these fuels are collected, and how they are used and the functions that they perform. It also presents a summary of the available quantitative data on biomass energy usage. The pattern and extent of biomass energy utilization varies significantly between developing countries reflecting differences in energy needs, fuel-use practices, and the relative availability and cost of biomass fuels compared to other fuel forms. Within countries, energy use patterns are also far from uniform. They commonly show regional variations as well as difference between income groups. Use of biomass for cooking and heating in the home is the largest application of biomass energy. In many developing countries, the availability of crop residues for energy purposes is severely limited by the fact that these residues are also used extensively for animal feed as well as for various other purposes.