Renewable Energy from Biomass: Introduction

Biomass has been the most important energy source for humans since mastering fire in ancient days. In addition, for a very long time in history of humankind, bioenergy has been basically the one and only energy source for cooking, heating, and lighting. Beside this, biomass has been used as a horse or cattle feed for the provision of power and transportation duties and thus in an indirect way for energy provision. Therefore, the development of human culture would not have been possible without the extensive use of biomass for energy provision.

During the last two centuries, the relative contribution of bioenergy within the overall energy system has been steadily decreased due to an increasingly intensified use of, first, coal and, later, crude oil as well as natural gas. Nevertheless, on a global scale, biomass still contributes with roughly 12 to 14% to cover the overall primary energy consumption mainly provided today from crude oil, coal (lignite and hard coal), as well as natural...