Biomass for Heating and Power Production

This chapter shows how biomass is the predominant fuel for many less developed African and Latin American countries. Nearly 38% of the world population (2014) relies on biomass for cooking, largely in rural areas, but in Africa this value increases to 67% with much of this contribution from sub-Saharan Africa. In Latin America, 15% of the population relies on biomass as it represents an affordable energy source for many households. The supply of biomass in Africa and Latin America has grown considerably since 1990 in both regions (greater than 81% and 42%, respectively) with the majority of the biomass being derived from solids. Moreover, biomass utilization in Africa varies significantly between Maghreb countries with almost no reliance on traditional biomass for energy consumption and Sub-Saharan countries where most countries have a strong dependence on traditional biomass. These variations are attributed to lower GDP per capita, the dominance of rural areas, ease of access to forest and agricultural waste and the limited availability of fossil fuels in sub-Saharan countries. In Latin America where GDP per capita is higher, the reliance on traditional biomass is much lower than in Africa. However, the use of biomass has contributed to more than 577,000 premature deaths in Africa and 74,000 in Latin Americas in 2012, mostly in low and middle income countries. Exposure is particularly high among women and young children with many premature deaths attributable to ischaemic heart diseases, strokes and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases in adults and acute lower respiratory infections in children under 5 years. Then, modernising biomass technology is not only beneficial for the economy. It will also improve human health, create social benefits and reduce environmental damage.