Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book highlights the central issues surrounding bioenergy and summarizes Office of Technology Assessments findings on those issues. It presents an overview of the four fuel cycles, including their technical features, economics, environmental impacts, and social implications, and their potential to displace conventional fuels. A number of factors, such as uncertain energy demand growth, soaring construction costs, difficulty in plant siting, and the environmental problems associated with coal, have led some energy producers and consumers to question the appropriateness of the large centralized energy systems. Biomass represents a renewable domestic source of liquid and solid fuels that can be used in relatively small decentralized energy systems. In addition, if biomass resources and conversion processes are managed properly, they have a much lower potential for environmental damage than coal and coal-based synfuels.