Biomass - Energy Toolbox

General Framework of Policies for Renewable Energy

In 2003, World Total Primary Energy Supply (TPES) was estimated to be some 10,580 Mtoe of which renewables accounted for 13.3%. Wood and other types of biomass represents as much as 80% of the renewables. The highest use of biomass is within Africa and Asia, in the developed world it is the new technologies (solar, wind power etc) that dominate the renewable scene.

As part of the Kyoto Protocol of 1997, the EU set a target for itself that 12% of its energy was to come from renewable sources by 2010. Biomass was planned to provide 5.65 EJ or 8.5% of the TPES by the same time. In order for this to have been achieved, the amount of energy coming from biomass would have needed to increase by 3.77 EJ. Current projections indicate that the EU will fall well short of all of its targets with respect to renewable energy.

Kyoto allows developed countries to reach their targets in different ways through Flexibility Mechanisms. These include Emissions Trading, Joint Implementation and the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). The first two are applicable for trading between developed nations (the so-called Annex 1 Countries). However the CDM is designed for the Annex 1 countries to off-set their carbon emissions by supporting projects that take place in non-Annex 1 countries where it can be demonstrated that the project will have the capacity to reduce or sequester carbon dioxide.

The greenhouse gas benefits of each CDM project is assessed in accordance with approved methodologies and quantified in terms of standard units called Certified Emission Reductions (CERs), related to tonnes of carbon dioxide. This is discussed further in Section 4.

Over the last 10 years in South Asia, total electricity consumption has increased by a factor of around 50%. In 2003, the region generated 663 billion kilowatt hours of electricity. Of this, around 81 percent was from conventional thermal power plants, 16 percent from hydroelectric plants, 3 percent from nuclear, and less than 1 percent from “other renewables” (like wind and solar). India accounted for the vast majority (85 percent) of the region's electricity generation and has put a high dependence on coal for its energy source. Even putting aside the problems of global warming and the consequent need to identify more environmentally friendly sources of power; the overall global demand for fossil fuels means that there is no choice but for South Asia to move to a wider portfolio of energy sources. This need is now beginning to be reflected in national policy for future energy. Sri Lanka has developed a new energy policy (2006) which sees the need for the country to move away from its dependence on oil and to move towards a greater reliance on coal and a basket of renewables. Unfortunately, the country has no fossil fuels and the intention is to import coal from Australia. This aspect is discussed further in Section 2. India has also been looking at the potential energy gap and has adopted a policy to promote the investment of the private sector into the industry (including the encouragement of involvement from non-Indian companies). Details of the current energy policy in India is discussed in Section 3.

The overview paper on the "General framework on the status and policies for renewable energies and in particular bio-energy - Asia and the EU" can be viewed here [PDF 269Kb].