Biomass, Environment and Health: A Macro Assessment

1
Biomass, Environment and Health A Macro
Assessment
P.R. Shukla
2
Structure of the Presentation

• Biomass Energy Use
• Biomass Energy and Environment
• Local / Global Environment and Health
• Biomass Electricity and Climate Change Mitigation
• Ancillary Benefits from mitigation of Local
  Emissions and Climate Change

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Global Biomass Energy Consumption
4
Biomass Energy in Asian Countries
5
Biomass Energy in Asian Countries (cont)
6

• Biomass Energy and Carbon Emissions

7
Global GHG Emissions

• BTC
• Fossil Fuels (1990) 6
• 1850 to 1986 Total
• Fossil Fuel 195
• Deforestation Land-use Change 117
• 1980s (annual)
• Fossil Fuel 5.4
• Deforestation Land-use Change 1.6

8
Forests and Carbon

• Forests cover 3.4 billion hectares of land or 25
  of Earths surface
• Forests store 340 BTC in Vegetation and 620 BTC
  in Soil
• Elimination of deforestation can reduce release
  of 1.2 BTC of carbon flux each year
• 100 BTC carbon can be sequestered over the
  century by foresting upto a billion hectares

9
Biomass and Carbon

• Unsustainable fuelBiomass use contributes 0.5 BTC
  each year
• Biomass burning emit 22 million tons of methane
  and 0.2 million tons of NOx
• Biomass products annually sequester 1 BTC
• Biomass products hold 25 BTC. This amount can be
  doubled if Biomass substitute other materials
• Biomass/ Energy crops can mitigate 1- 4 BTC by
  the mid-century by substituting fossil fuels

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Sequestration Potential of Global C (1995-2050)
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Biomass Production under Changing Climate

• Higher Productivity from
• CO2 Fertilization
• Higher Precipitation
• Lower Productivity from
• Pest, Disease, Fire
• Species Migration
• Change in Soil Nutrients

12
Biomass for Energy

• Availability of Land
• Competition with other biomass substitutes
• Conversion Technologies
• Synfuels
• Energy Conversion

13
Biomass Yield From Various Activities
Biomass from
Sugarcane
Alamo
Eucalyptus
Alamo
Eucalyptus
Maize, USA
Maize, USA
Commercial
Commercial
(Total
Swichgrass
,
at
Aracruz
(Total
,
at
(Grain
(Grain
Forests,
Forests,
Stover)
Above ground
USA
Brazil
Stover)
USA
Brazil
USA
USA
Biomass)
Biomass)
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• Biomass Energy and Climate Change Mitigation

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Biomass Energy Options

• Synthetic fuels (Synfuels)
• Liquids (to replace refined oil products)
• Solids like Charcoal (to replace coal)
• Biomass Electricity Technologies
• Gasifier Engine
• Direct Combustion

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Electricity Generation Cost
17
Cost of Delivered Electricity Cost
18
Costs of Biomass and Coal power
19
Cost of Biomass and Coal Power (with
environmental taxes)
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Biomass Electricity under Carbon Emissions
Limitations
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Institutional Issues for Biomass Power

• Market Failure
• Weak Market Linkages
• Biomass Energy Feedstock System
• Financing the Biomass Growers
• Risk Coverage
• Decentralized Power Generation
• Role of the Government

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Biomass Power Implementation Issues

• Ownership
• Decentralization
• Technology Choices
• Management of Finances
• Identification of Niche Market
• Participatory Approach
• Monitoring and Control
• Dissemination Approach

23

• Climate Change
• and Health

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Health Impacts of Climate Change

• Direct Health Impacts from
• Exposure to Thermal Extremes
• Altered Frequency of Extreme Events
• Enhanced Weather Variability
• Indirect Health Impacts from Changes in
• Vector Borne Diseases
• Incidence of Diarrhea, infectious diseases
• Sea Level Rise Water Contamination and
  dislocation disorders
• Mal-nutrition from changes in food supplies

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Linkages of Climate and Malaria
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Major Tropical Vector Borne Diseases

• Disease Population at Impact of
• Risk (Million) Climate Change
• Malaria 2400 Highly Likely
• Schistosomiasis 600 Very Likely
• Filarisis 1094 Likely
• Dengue 1800 Very Likely
• Yellow Fever 450 Very Likely
• River Blindness 123 Very Likley
• Guinea Worm 100 Unknown

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Sequestration Potential of Global C (1995-2050)

• Measure
• Forestation
• Agroforestry
• Regeneration
• Slowing
• deforestation
• Total

C sequestered (PgC) 30.6 0.7 11.5 - 28.7 10.8 -
20.8 60 - 87
Cost (/tC) 6-8 5 2 2 3.7 - 4.6
Total Cost ( Billion) 174 3 30 - 60 44 - 97 280
- 340
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• Biomass Energy
• Ancillary (Health) Benefits of Climate Change
  Mitigation

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Ancillary Benefits of Biomass Power1 MW Biomass
vs. Coal Power
Local Pollution (ton/year)
Carbon Emission Mitigation/ year 1376 Ton
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Health Effects of Air Pollutants
31
Indoor Air Pollution from Cookstoves
32
Exposure to Air Pollutants
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• Biomass Energy
• Option for Long-Term Climate Change Mitigation

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Stabilization of GHG Concentration Mitigation
Options for India
Mitigation Target
Emissions Gap
35
Stabilization of GHG Concentration Global
Mitigation Options
Mitigation Target
36

• Conclusions

• Biomass Energy has an important role in meeting
  the objectives of UNFCCC
• Biomass production will be impacted by climate
  change
• Biomass Energy offer direct health benefits as a
  substitute for fossil energy
• Biomass energy as can contribute to health
  benefits as climate change mitigation option
• Biomass energy links climate change and
  sustainable development