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Woody biomass in the 21st century: A global perspective
| Content Provider | Semantic Scholar |
|---|---|
| Author | Glatzel, Gerhard |
| Copyright Year | 2008 |
| Abstract | In the 21st century, the production of crude oil is expected to peak and decline afterwards, as oil fields are exhausted. Natural gas and coal supplies will last longer, but ultimately they will also start to decline. As a consequence of increasing production costs of fossil fuels from difficult deposits and due to political instability in major production zones, prices have gone up. In order to lessen the dependency on fossil fuels, reduce greenhouse gases and signal less dependency on politically incalculable suppliers, the European Union and other countries promote renewable energy. Biomass of woody plants is one option, as it can be produced on poor soils with less input of fertiliser than annual herbaceous crops and is suitable for direct conversion into thermal energy by firing and, more importantly from the perspective of industrialised countries, into easily transported and used biofuels. Simultaneously, the demand and, consequently, the price for timber and wood fiber has gone up, too, as competing, oil-derived synthetic materials have become more expensive. The rapid change in global trade and policy on biomass in industrial countries will potentially affect developing countries in various ways. Obviously, there are direct effects of rising oil prices on local fuel markets with a shift back to fuelwood and other biomass. Bright market perspectives for woody biomass such as timber, raw material for industrial use, as well as biofuels will promote new tree plantations, which compete for food production and water. Carbon emission trading has introduced professional international companies into the woody biomass game. For people in rural areas with limited land resources, the competition for arable land and water may bring more hardship. In regions with abundant land, large commercial plantations will have an impact on social structures and biodiversity. In any case, a pre-emptive, knowledge-based approach is needed in order to cope with potential risks and recognise new chances. |
| Starting Page | 87 |
| Ending Page | 92 |
| Page Count | 6 |
| File Format | PDF HTM / HTML |
| Alternate Webpage(s) | https://austriaca.at/0xc1aa5576_0x001a288a.pdf |
| Language | English |
| Access Restriction | Open |
| Content Type | Text |
| Resource Type | Article |
