BIOENERGY

  Biomass  refers to  solid  carbonaceous material derived from
  plants and animals. These include the residues of agriculture 
  and  forestry, animal  wastes and wastes from food processing 
  operations.  A small amount of solar energy is used by plants 
  in the  process of photosynthesis and this trapped energy can 
  be used in various ways. Wood and grass can be dried and then 
  burnt to  release  heat. Plant  material, particularly  those 
  rich  in  starches  and sugars such as sugar-cane, wheat, etc., 
  can  be  fermented to produce  ethanol. Alternately, methanol 
  can be produced by the distillation of biomass which contains 
  considerable  amount  of  cellulose  such as wood and bagasse 
  (residue from sugar-cane). Both these alcohols can be used to 
  fuel  vehicles and machinery, and can be mixed with petrol to 
  make  a  petrol / alcohol  blend. Although  biomass energy is 
  predominantly  used in rural  areas, it provides an important 
  fuel  source  for  the  urban  poor  and many rural small and 
  medium  scale industries. In order to meet the growing demand 
  for energy, it is imperative to focus on efficient production 
  and use of biomass energy to meet both traditional (as a heat 
  supplier) and  modern fuel requirements (like electricity and 
  liquid  fuels). This  production of biomass, in all its forms 
  for fuel,food and fodder, demands environmentally sustainable 
  land use and integrated planning approaches. 

  Detailed  planning  would be required from  National to State, 
  District,Taluk and Village levels.The inappropriate selection 
  and  site  matching of  species or  management strategies can 
  have  adverse effects and lead to degradation and abandonment 
  of land. However, the  correct selection of plant species can 
  allow  the  economic  production  of  energy  crops  in areas 
  previously  capable  of   only   low   plant   productivities. 
  Simultaneously multiple benefits may accrue to the environment. 
  Such  selection  strategies  allows  synergistic increases in 
  food crop yield and decreases fertiliser applications, while 
  providing local source of energy and employment.