Lessons on Drought and Pollution from the Forgotten Three Billion: An Indiana Case Study on Using Biomass Crops for Generating Electricity

Abstract

Although three billion people in the developing world face severe indoor air pollution from domestic incineration of biomass, other nations have not learned from these bio- mass harms. Instead, scores of developed countries are massively subsidizing biomass crop growing/incineration, touting biomass burning as clean and technologically im- proved, and claiming it helps address climate change. Are they right? To show why not, this commentary has three objectives. These are (i) to outline the drought/food, air pol- lution, and water-pollution threats posed by growing/burning biomass, (ii) to answer government/industry defenses of biomass growing/incineration, and (iii) to use a south- ern Indiana case study to reveal the flawed science in most biomass crop/incineration proposals. For instance, most biomass proposals fail to include a full human-health risk assessment, cost-benefit analysis, and ecological risk assessment. Discussing health- related biomass problems, the commentary uses a case study of a contemporary, state-of- the-art facility to incinerate Miscanthus giganteus biomass. It closes with suggestions for improving biomass science/decision-making and reducing biomass threats.