Summary
International data were used to estimate and illustrate the flow of biomass (organic materials used for energy, such as wood) that had not previously been studied such as grazed biomass, crop residues, and unused biomass for 11 different regions in the year 2000. The total amount of biomass harvested was found to be 18.7 billion tonnes dry matter per year with 7.5% of that biomass being used for global trade, 12% were used for human consumption, 16% destroyed/unused, 58% were used to feed livestock, 20% were used as raw materials, and 10% as fuelwood. It was found that biomass use was directly related to population density and carbon emissions. The authors acknowledge shortcomings of the data, but it’s unclear how these gaps ultimately affect model estimates. A strength in this study is they have a very large sample size, looking at biomass data across 175 countries, and all different types of biomass. This study aims to provide updated information on biomass fuel use to effectively expand biomass sustainability.
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