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Energy Options Impact on Regional Security pp 341–361Cite as

Biomass for Energy and the Impacts on Food Security

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Part of the NATO Science for Peace and Security Series C: Environmental Security book series (NAPSC)

Abstract

In climate policies in the developed world the use of biomass as an energy source plays an important role. Indications exist that these policies are affecting global food security. In this chapter we compare the global demands for food, feed and energy in the near future. We distinguish between developing countries, transition countries and the developed countries. The first group of countries needs extra food for their growing population, the second one needs extra feed, since the increased incomes among their population lead to increased demand for animal products. The developed countries require biomass to reduce the CO2 emissions of their energy use. On global scale the extra needs for biomass as a fuel (1,100 MT) turn out to be larger than the needs for food and feed (900 MT each). This huge demand for biomass from the energy system is likely to result in large instabilities on the international agricultural markets.

Keywords

  • Food supply and demand
  • energy supply and demand
  • feed
  • biomass for fuel

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Energy and Environmental Studies, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands

    Sanderine Nonhebel

Authors
  1. Sanderine Nonhebel
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Correspondence to Sanderine Nonhebel .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Fac. Electrical Engineering, Mechanical, Engineering & Naval Architecture, University of Split, Rudera Boškovica bb, Split, 21000, Croatia

    Frano Barbir

  2. Dipto. Tecnologie, Centro Direzionale di Napoli, Università di Napoli, Parthenope, Napoli, 80143, Italy

    Sergio Ulgiati

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Nonhebel, S. (2010). Biomass for Energy and the Impacts on Food Security. In: Barbir, F., Ulgiati, S. (eds) Energy Options Impact on Regional Security. NATO Science for Peace and Security Series C: Environmental Security. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-9565-7_19

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