Environmental and Health Impacts of Biomass as an Energy Source

Abstract

Biomass being a carbon dioxide neutral and renewable source of energy is being seen as a sustainable source of energy. However, there are a range of environmental and health problems associated with biomass burning for rural energy requirement. Biomass burning is even responsible for deterioration of forest resources due to its inefficient use. It is also responsible for various diseases like tuberculosis, acute respiratory infections, lung cancer, asthma, blindness, anemia, and adverse pregnancy outcomes as low birth weight and prenatal mortality and so on especially in third world. However, these problems associated with biomass burning, will not be there if biomass is used as energy source in its technologically improved form like biogas, bio-fuel or bio-electricity. These forms of biomass as sources of energy, not only improve the local environment but also contribute to social and economical development of the rural areas and prove to be truly sustainable and renewable source of energy. For continuous supply of biomass for energy requirement, one has to go for large scale biomass plantation. This is the opportunity for nations to utilize their degraded forest land and wastelands productively and raise as much biomass plantations as possible.