ABSTRACT
The use of biomass fuels results in the emissions of greenhouse gases, aerosols, acidic gases, and dust. Their use also leads to the removal of organic matter from agricultural and forest areas and the conversion of natural ecosystems to managed energy monoculture plantations with their associated loss of biodiversity. Simple wood stoves and fireplaces in many developing and developed countries are inefficient, converting only about 5-10% of the potential energy of wood into useful heat and
thus contributing a great deal to indoor and outdoor air pollution. Today, there are basically three distinct sources of biomass energy: the organic leftovers in municipal and industrial wastes, agricultural residues and wastes, and energy (tree) plantations. Most recently, energy from biomass has acquired new and larger dimensions in developed countries. This aspect is considered under the subject of biofuels later in this chapter.
