ABSTRACT
Two hundred years ago biomass – mainly wood – was still our main source of energy. Yet without fossil fuels, the enormous population increases, the beginning of industrialization and the increasing standard of living would not have been possible. However, the annual global production of harvestable biomass is estimated at about five times current primary energy consumption. Thanks to huge progress in communications, transport and logistics, in the future it will be possible to exploit some of this potential commercially.
