January 2008, Dr. N. Sai Bhaskar Reddy

SUSTAINABLE UTILIZATION OF ENERGYSANGAM 2008, Bangalore

http://www.e-geo.org

AN INTRODUCTION TO BIOMASS IN DEVELOPING

COUNTRIES

•Majority world countries have been depending on biomass fuelling for hundreds of years,

because the technology involved is simple and most importantly very economic.

•Unfortunately as developing countries begin to advance technologically, the likelihood of governments turning to fossil fuels increases.

Energy use v/s Population growth

CRUDE OIL PRICES IN 20 YEARS

OIL PRICES AND GLOBAL EVENTS

WORLD ENERGY

PER CAPITA CONSUMPTION, KWH, 2003

ENERGY VALUE OF FUELS

India

INDIA

INDIA

India rural and urban compare

BILLIONS OF TONS OF CARBON EMITTED PER YEAR

GHG emissions: total and per capita

% of World

GHGs

Tons C equiv.

Per capita

United States 20.6 6.6

China 14.8 1.1

European Union (25) 14.0 2.8

Russia 5.7 3.6

India 5.5 0.5

Japan 4.0 2.9

Germany 2.9 3.2

United Kingdom 2.0 3.1

Source: Climate Data: Insights and Observations, Pew Center on Global Climate Change, December, 2004

Energy in transport 18%

Use of CFCs 17%

Agriculture 15%

Energy in Homes, Business 14%

Deforestation 8%

Others 3%

Energy in Industry 25%

WORLD CO2 - EMMISSION

BIO MASS : Wood burning, cooking, keeping warm, metallurgy

MUSCLE POWER : Agriculture, water lifting, commerce, horse, bullocks, Camels.

WIND POWER : Transport, Trade & Commerce, wars & conquests

HYDRO POWER : Water wheels, grinding.

COAL : Steam power, Industrial revolution, mass & cheap transport.

RENEWABLE ENERGY – HISTORIC PERSPECTIVE

STATISTICS – BIOMASS USE IN RURAL AREAS

The rural population in India relies heavily on traditional biomass-based

fuels (fuelwood, crop residues, and animal dung) for meeting its energy

needs.

Approximately 96% of rural households are estimated to be using biofuels

(NSSO 1997).

These fuels dominate the domestic sector and are primarily used for

cooking. Fuelwood is the primary energy source for cooking used by rural

households (78%) (TERI 1999a).

In actual volumes as well, fuelwood ranks first, at 252.1 million tonnes,

followed by dung-cakes, at 106.9 million tonnes and agricultural residue, at

99.2 million tonnes of annual consumption (TERI 1992).

Similarly, the per capita consumption figures are also high for fuelwood at

250 kg, 50 kg for animal dung and 134 kg for crop residues (NSSO 1997).

INDIA’S PRIMARY ENERGY RESOURCES

ADVANTAGES TO USING BIOMASS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

Biomass has many environmental and social/economic advantages for a developing community.

It is an appealing alternative to fossil fuels as it can be run by locally by local people as opposed to other energy resources which often need highly trained operators and be run away from populated areas.

This means that community members can build on skills; boosting moral and making them more employable. It also creates jobs and business opportunities for people which can boost the economy of the area. Also, as biomass uses organic matter, fuelling biomass generators means that waste products from a community; anything ranging from food scrapes, fibres or surplus waste from agriculture, can be used to create energy. This is handy not only because its cheap but it also it minimizes cost involved with waste disposal and it also reduces waste going to landfill. This again, can generate money for the community.

As a community becomes more reliable on biomass, it can loosen any dependence on fossil fuels and their outside operators; making the society more self sufficient and forgoing possible future debt.

Environmental effects of using a biomass as a fuel source.

Biomass is renewable. This is particularly important in a developing community where it is costly to be involved in unsustainable practices.

Biofuel systems are also credited to releasing much less sulphur than their fossil fuel counterparts. This is important for an improved air quality especially as biomass fuels are credited to releasing minimal amounts of methane and carbon dioxide.

The bit that makes biomass a better alternative then wind power or solar energy is that it runs of excess waste. Very effective for the aesthetics, the smell and the economy!

Because much of the waste used in a biomass operation is likely to release CO2 through decomposing, biomass generators actually are able to reduce CO2 emissions!

DISADVANTAGES TO BIOMASS USEAlthough carbon dioxide release is minimal, biomass combustion has been reported to releasing carbon monoxide, which we all know is

highly toxic, and particularly dangerous to women and children (who will probably be the ones most exposed to it in a kitchen situation) The problem of most concern is that of deforestation caused from

wood combustion. Apart from the general effects that this practice has (erosion, salinity, loss of biodiversity, cleaner water and air etc.) this can have very specific effects on a developing rural community. Even if a sustainable practice concerning growing and cultivating bio-crops is implemented, the constant harvesting and re-harvesting of crops means a gradual stripping of soil nutrients. Fertile soil is vital for rural

communities who depend upon crops for their income; unproductive soils could spell the end to an agriculturally based community. Bio-crops also take up valuable land space, which could otherwise

be used for food crops or livestock, in order to have year long fuel available several crops must be planted so that one area can be used while another grows.

THE TASKS AHEAD for NGOs. . . ›Energy needs assessment, demand surveys and market

studies;

›Resource assessment, for example, hydrological studies,

wind monitoring, solar energy assessment and biomass

surveys;

›Feasibility studies covering the technical, social and

economic aspects of biomass, solar wind and hydro use;

›Technology development and adaptation to socio-economic

contexts;

›Support to local manufacturers and developers, for example,

stove design methodology, induction generators and low

wattage cookers;

THE TASKS AHEAD for NGOs. . .

›Policy analysis, institutional development, strategic planning and action

plans;

›Training courses in all aspects of rural and renewable energy, both general

and technology specific.

›Specialist technical support for practical project design, implementation and

evaluation to implementation programmes incorporating rural and renewable

energy, including:

› Biomass combustion systems for industrial applications, agro-processing,

lime making and waste incineration;

› Solar photovoltaic systems for specialist and high value energy

applications;

› Micro, mini or small hydro power;

› Wind pumping or electricity generation;

› Publications and technical manuals on renewable energy.

SMOKE OUT CHULLAHS(Mitigation for Global Warming?)

Good Stove Design

Energy stoves

Energy – Good Stoves

CO2 EMISSION REDUCTION APPRECIATION CERTIFICATE

Quantitative Results/Outcomes

Comparison between Good Stove and Traditional stoves performance.

Ove

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Easy

Mai

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ood

cons

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Smal

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cook

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Less

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ct on

bod

ies

Less

smok

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Heat

tran

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ensil

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Less

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Desig

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l coo

king

need

s

0

2

4

6

8

10

No. of re

spond

ants

Good Stove Traditional Stove

Lessons Learned

This experience shows that however efficient our technology could be, but for sustainable implementation of the community level interventions, Intensive Awareness and Participatory Technology Development processes are necessary.

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