Role of biomass resources in promotion of renewable energy

Abstract

The world especially the developing countries are facing an increasing power crunch. The conventional energy resources are fast depleting and there is an urgent need to find out new avenues of energy to cater to this increasing demand. It is here the energy from biomass finds its place. Although we have been using energy from biomass since the time man learned to burn wood for energy but with the growing technological innovations this energy can be harnessed to meet the growing energy demands. On a worldwide scale Biomass contributes about 12% to today's primary energy supply, rising between 40% and 50% in most developing countries. Biomass fuel obtained from purpose-grown energy crops as well as forests and agricultural waste are being used in power plants and it is very competitive in price and quality with fossil fuels. Applying biomass technology is both an environmental and human necessity, whether on a local scale to get rid of slurries, waste and refuses, or on a global scale to reduce carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere and hence reduce global warming. Scientists are busy in developing different ways of converting biomass into a form that meets our energy needs, while making best use of the available energy. In this paper an attempt has been made to project the biomass conversion and the new emerging techniques of harnessing power from biomass and also from the other biofuels such as Bio-oil and Bioethanol. Hence an attempt has been made through different techniques in this paper that in developing country like India, how much emphasis need to be given on such renewable energy sources for preservation of conventional sources of energy.