Biomass in energy supply, especially in the state of Brandenburg, Germany

As a result of growing visible damage to the environment connected with the use of fossil fuels, biomass is increasingly becoming a topic in energy ec onomical and political discussions. Also, the limitation of fossil fuels an d the associated dependency on international energy markets make a change o f view to the direction of an energy supply based on biomass increasingly n ecessary. Solid biomass from agriculture and forestry that is not used in i ndustrial production, such as food production, as well as non-contaminated or even contaminated solid biogenic waste-products and residue that have to be reused after the new commercial and industrial waste management act, is suitable for energy production to cover the existing heat and power consum ption of single projects, like swimming pools, schools, or even for municip alities. Against this background an analysis will be made of the technical possibilities of the application, ecological aspects, existing potential of biomass, and the economic viability of energy supply based on biomass, esp ecially on wood. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved .