Biomass from Wood in the Tropics

Abstract

Bioenergy production from wood is one of the oldest forms of energy and it was for a long time considered a primitive energy source in many industrialised countries. However, it is currently experiencing an increase in attention worldwide. Considering its importance and history, it is astonishing that the widespread cognizance of wood as an important energy source in modern times is a recent phenomenon. It has been mainly driven by the pressure of diminishing fossil fuel resources in industrialised countries, as well as the wish to become more independent from nuclear power and its risks in some developed countries. In addition, amongst other renewable energy sources, bioenergy was identified as an alternative to fossil fuels, which could also help to prevent furthering an anthropogenic climate change by attempting to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Currently, two different development routes are recognizable, which appear to go in opposite directions and result in competition for land resources in tropical countries. One route is driven by developing countries and the other by developed countries. Globally, wood is the most important source of renewable energy and is used to produce more energy than all other renewable energy sources combined (FAO 2012). According to, the global annual woodfuel consumption, which comprises fuelwood, charcoal and other wood based energy sources, sums up to 1.87 billion m³. Of this amount, 13 % are consumed in the tropical and sub-tropical regions of the Americas and Caribbean region, 30 % in Africa and 30 % in Asia and the Pacific region. In total, almost three quarters of the global woodfuel consumption occur in tropical countries.