Future Biomass Energy Options

This chapter discusses future biomass energy options. Biomass energy plays a crucial role in the developing countries although population and ecological pressures are now placing this role in increasing jeopardy. However, a wide variety of options exist for expanding the use of biomass energy, and these could potentially have a major impact on all three categories of energy needs: (1) domestic needs, (2) rural development, and (3) petroleum replacement. Biomass fuels can be used in all types of heat engines. External combustion engines have the advantage that biomass can be burnt directly to generate power. For small-scale mechanical energy demands, internal combustion engines have many advantages. They are generally cheaper to produce than external combustion devices and small capacity units can be made that are both light and efficient. The use of small stirling engines has a number of advantages. These are external combustion devices and can burn biomass directly. For medium and large-scale power requirements, the advantages of internal combustion engines are less marked. Biomass can be efficiently converted to mechanical energy using various types of closed-cycle steam engines.