2011年3月15日 | EN Fuels derived from biomass produce lower
greenhouse gas emissions than fossil fuels With the right
policies and investment in research, developing nations can turn
their dependence on biomass fuels into a renewable and
sustainable energy supply, says Duncan Macqueen. Fuels derived
from biomass — mainly wood, but also plant and animal matter —
produce lower greenhouse gas emissions than fossil fuels, and
can be converted into heat, electricity, liquid or gas. Yet they
are considered dirty fuels, harmful to health and a threat to
forests, with developing countries often making their production
illegal. But advanced new technologies can make burning these
biofuels a 'green' process, argues Macqueen. Global dependence
on biofuels will rise from 10 to 30 per cent by 2050, he says,
and the developing world is already embracing this source of
energy — supplying homes with wood-pellet boilers, for example,
or building biomass power stations. What is needed now is for
developing countries to put biomas