German Scientists Tout Sustainability of Biomass

The use of biomass as an energy source has its fair share of supporters and critics. One criticism it has received is that biomass crops would compete for land with food crops. This perceived competition and the subsequent negative impact on food costs indicate that biomass is not a viable option for electricity generation. A new study in Germany, however, asserts a scenario in which biomass is an economical and sustainable source of electricity.

A group of professors from the universities of Oldenburg and Goettingen in Germany have suggested planting fast-growing trees on land that has been previously degraded by human activities. This would limit the competition with arable land for food crops and therefore leave food prices unaffected. In addition, the carbon sink provided by the afforestation would offset the carbon emissions of producing energy with the biomass and could eventually pull even more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Other benefits include controlling soil degradation and regenerating global water supply.

As a part of a power generation strategy that uses a variety of renewable technologies, biomass is a viable energy source, although technological breakthroughs are still needed to improve the efficiency of the conversion process. You can read more about this topic here.