Biomass or Biomess? The promises and Limits of Bioenergy

In all oil consumption dependent countries the shift from fossil fuels to bio-based ones plays a prominent role in public discussions and political decision making. However, the discussion all too often singles out biomass as a new energy source without paying due respect to the system aspects and constraints. Biomass can indeed be a valuable element of a new energy mix, but without structural change in the energy system it poses risks to biodiversity and food security. Agricultural energy production either competes with food production on existing agricultural areas, or with biodiversity preservation if pristine areas are used for biomass production. Thus exploiting the potential of biomass for energy generation needs to t environmental and social limits, and must be adapted to the specifics of the local situation if it is to be a part of the solution, and not the source of new problems.