Biomass could provide energy for 30 million residents of China

The energy potential of biomass is underestimated in China, according to a report from the Asian Development Bank. Actually, it could meet the energy demand of 30 million residents of China who currently have no access to electricity

About 50 percent of the over 200 million rural residents in China still use kerosene lamps to light their homes and firewood or agricultural wastes to heat their dwellings and cook their meals. 
In these areas, biomass energy could generate electricity (using agricultural wastes, municipal waste and sewage sludge) to satisfy the needs of 30 million residents.
The information comes from Rural Biomass Energy 2020 in the People's Republic of China, a report published by  the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

Nevertheless, in order to harness this huge potential, a $60 million investment is needed in China, over the next ten years, for the development of this sector.  According to ADB, three quarters of this amount should be directly provided to rural household beneficiaries.

Government financing should finance projects directly involving farmers, while private financing should mainly develop technological and  research projects.

The ADB report states that the Chinese government is presently focusing on developing a number of renewable energy sources, specifically wind, solar and hydropower. Instead, the biomass energy potential is largely underestimated due to costs,  technological constraints and occasionally vague local regulations.

(July 2010)