PUBLICATIONSPUBLICATIONSFAO's Wood Energy Programme's Wood Energy Today for Tomorrow (WETT) collects, reviews and collates existing information and data on woodfuels and its related energy aspects at the national level through the preparation of regional studies. The main aim of these studies is to overcome the shortcomings encountered in the main wood energy databases and to fill the major data gaps. New and improved wood energy data will contribute to: a) how, where and how much woodfuel is used in different countries and regions; b) describing the contribution of forests, woodlands and trees to the energy sector; c) assessing the environmental impacts; and d) identifying the main
critical problem areas to be tackled for the development of sustainable wood
energy systems.
The latest working document in the WETT regional series has
now been prepared and covers countries in the Near East. This study presents an
overview of the total wood energy consumption in 28 Near East countries, based
on information available in selected international organizations, and makes
recommendations for further improvements of Wood Energy Information
Systems.
It is hoped that the development of improved wood energy data
will contribute to the better understanding of wood energy systems and to the
planning of more sustainable production and utilization. Unfortunately, the
information available is still very weak and there are many data gaps to be
filled.
For this reason, you can help us by providing more details and
updated data on woodfuel aspects and issues. Please contact Mr Miguel Trossero or Ms Sandra Rivero at the address given on the first page.
In 1995, biomass and wastes accounted for almost 99
percent (excluding hydropower) of total renewable energy among European
countries. Overall, figures and statistics show that renewable energy accounts
for 6 percent of total energy production. This is a modest contribution to
the total energy balance when compared with the technical potential of renewable
energy in general, and biomass and wastes, in particular.
France,
Austria, Finland, Sweden and Germany are among the countries in the European
Union where wood energy consumption is largest. In Sweden, the share of biomass
and waste exceeded 99 percent during that period. The southern European
countries, such as Spain, Portugal and Italy, follow. Among the non-European
Union countries, Turkey is the largest wood energy consumer, followed by the
Czech Republic, Poland and Romania.
Biomass, when produced and managed in
a sustainable manner, provides a multitude of advantages. It not only serves as
an energy provider, but also as an environmentally favourable and economically
beneficial resource. During the past decades, some European countries have seen
a phenomenal outcome from their technological research, development and
demonstration projects for biomass. Efficient power, heat and gasification
plants have proved to be scientific and experimental successes.
Seen
from another perspective, many European countries were likewise urged to
investigate the more pragmatic and functional side of the bioenergy industry.
Institutional foundations and legal groundwork needed setting up or, as in many
cases, needed further development. This working document deals with the general
backdrop of European institutional policies, strategies and projects in the area
of bioenergy development. Furthermore, it also touches base with the manner in
which the legal system in many European countries serves as a conduit to the
all-embracing need to promote and develop biomass energy. The case review of 25
countries typifies what and how much these countries have already accomplished,
and how much work is still to be done in the areas of institutional building and
legal operations.
Sensing the fast changing horizon, FAO's Wood Energy Programme, with its long-standing interest in biomass energy, has taken the initiative to undertake a study of this nature. This study led to the working document Institutional and legal aspects regulating wood energy activities in European countries 
, which has been prepared with the collaboration of the Italian Biomass Association (ITABIA). Copies are available upon
request.
Many significant insights and lessons can be generated from the various experiences among European countries in relation to the evolution of institutional and legal structures. These countries can learn a great deal from each other. More important, developing countries worldwide which are currently trying to establish and develop their own respective institutional fabric and legal foundation vis-à-vis biomass systems development will
find this knowledge useful. As always, the "Latecomers' advantage" is one
positive impact of any development effort.
For more information, please contact:
Mr Miguel Trossero at the address given on the first page.
Edited by Frank Rosillo-Calle, Kings College London, UK; Sergio V. Bajay, State University of Campinas, Brazil; and Harry Rothman, University of the West of England, UK.
ISBN 0-7484-0884-3.
This book demonstrates that energy-rich vegetation, biomass, is a key renewable energy resource for the future. Most energy scenarios recognize bioenergy as an important component in the world outlook, both in developed and developing countries. Brazil, uniquely, has a recent history of large-scale biomass industrial uses that makes it a specially important test-bed both for the development of biomass technology and its utilization, and for understanding how this is shaped by political and socio-economic forces. Perhaps the most famous development is PROALCOOL, the national programme for producing fuel for the nation's cars from alcohol derived from sugar, as a substitute for petrol. But other sectors of the Brazilian economy traditionally, and currently, use biomass as a major energy source.
For more information on this publication, please contact:
Andy Howes, Taylor and Francis Ltd, 11 New Fetter Lane, London EC4P 4EE, UK.
Fax: +44 02 7842 2021;
e-mail: [email protected]
OCEES Research Paper No. 15, June 1998. By P.G. Harris. ISBN 1 899764 18 6. 101 pp.
The author has several copies remaining of his research report from the Oxford Centre for the Environment, Ethics and Society (OCEES) at Mansfield College, Oxford University. He will be happy to send these to anyone who requests them; the only cost would be to cover postage (approximately US$10 to ship one copy of the report to most places outside Hong Kong). Non-profit organizations with severe funding shortages should contact Dr Harris.
For more information, please contact the author:
Dr Paul Harris, Project on Environmental Change &
Foreign Policy, Department of Politics and Sociology, Lingnan
University,
Tuen Mun, New Territories, China, Hong Kong SAR.
Fax: +852
2891 7940;
e-mail: [email protected]
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WOOD ENERGY DATA, PLANNING AND POLICIES The woodfuel scenario and policy issues in the Philippines (FD 59), 2000WOOD ENERGY UTILIZATION AND CONVERSION WOOD ENERGY RESOURCES, PRODUCTION, DISTRIBUTION AND
MARKETING OTHERS WOOD ENERGY NEWS Most of these publications can be downloaded from the RWEDP Web site. For more information, please contact: |
