Huge Potential in Biomass

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TheBioenergySite Latest News

Friday, May 23, 2008

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Huge Potential in Biomass

DENMARK - The use of biomass from agriculture can be quintupled from the present level, according to a report prepared by scientists from the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Aarhus.

The use of biomass from agriculture can be quintupled from the present level, according to a report from the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences.
^{Photo: Flemming Nielsen, istockphoto}

Skyrocketing oil prices can provide an extra good reason for hunting for alternative sources of energy. The use of biomass from agriculture can be quintupled from 24 PJ (petajoules) to 115 PJ, according to a report prepared by scientists from the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Aarhus.

The scientists have taken a closer look at eight different bioenergy technologies and examined their advantages, disadvantages and raw material requirements. The report also discusses how agricultural and bioenergy production can best be combined to achieve environmental spin-offs and repression of greenhouses gases.

The report also includes a scenario for how much bioenergy Danish agriculture can supply. The calculations are based on several databases for land use, animal populations, etc. and are calculated using GIS so that the bioenergy potential in a given area in Denmark can be estimated.

"It will also be possible in the new scenarios to change the conditions such as crop choice," the scientists say in the report.

The scientists have studied how great the potential is for production of biomass in Central Jutland Region and for the country as a whole.

An analysis shows that the Central Jutland Region uses approximately 7 PJ bioenergy from agriculture while the country as a whole uses 24 PJ. According to the scientists this can be increased to 34 PJ and 115 PJ, respectively.

"Agriculture in the Central Jutland Region alone can supply more biomass for energy than all of Danish agriculture supplies today, the scientists point out."

TheBioenergySite News Desk