Diffusion Of Biomass Energy Technologies In Developing Countries

Biomass for Energy in the Developing Countries: Current Role, Potential, Problems, Prospects focuses on biomass energy and its importance to developing countries. This book outlines the reality that supply can no longer meet the demand of this form of energy. This fact is particularly observed in the rising price of oil, which is a prime source of energy for developing countries. Relative to this, a need to look for indigenous energy sources is urgent to sustain development in these countries. This book emphasizes that biomass energy utilization differs among developing countries, which shows the variance in energy needs. This text also notes that the pattern of biomass energy use in such countries is related to agriculture and also has cultural, economic, and social linkages. Biomass energy is also considered an important aspect in rural development and as a replacement for petroleum products. With the impending shortage of biomass energy, schemes are now being developed to sustain the use of this energy in household and industry settings, which is emphasized in the development of equipment considered energy efficient. People who are concerned with the development and implementation of programs aimed at conserving biomass energy and in the search of alternative energy can use this book as a reference.

Adequate food supplies and a reasonable quality of life require energy - both in commercial and non-commercial forms. This handbook is intended as a reference for individuals who want a comprehensive overview of energy for agriculture, many of whom are located in remote areas with limited library resources. The purpose is to put energy for agriculture in perspective by presenting numerous national and regional examples of energy usage.Since the early 1970s, world petroleum prices have fluctuated from US$3/barrel to more than US$40/barrel in 1981, and then back to one-third of the peak price today. Consequently, the rural sector depends heavily on non-commercial energy sources. Availability of such energy is highly site-specific. This handbook deals extensively with non-commercial energy - its sources, the technologies for converting energy to more useful gaseous and liquid forms, and its ultimate end-uses.Photographs, tables, line drawings and graphs are used extensively. Over 600 references are listed along with agency names and addresses for obtaining further information.

The International Conference on the State of the Art on Biogas Technology, Transfer and Diffusion was held in Cairo, Egypt, from 17 to 24 November 1984. The Conference was organized by the Egyptian Academy of Scientific Research and Technology (ASR T), the Egyptian National Research Centre (NRC), the Bioenergy Systems and Technology project (BST) of the US Agency for International Development (US/AID) Office of Energy, and the National Academy of Sciences (NAS). A number of international organizations and agencies co-sponsored the Conference. More than 100 participants from 40 countries attended. The purpose of the Conference was to assess the viability of biogas technology (BGT) and propose future courses of action for exploiting BGT prospects to the fullest extent. The Conference emphasized a balanced coverage of technical, environ mental, social, economic and organizational aspects relevant to biogas systems design, operation and diffusion. It was organized to incorporate experiences that are pertinent, for the most part, to developing countries. In addition to the wide spectrum of presentations and country programs, structured and non-structured discussions among the participants were strongly encouraged in thematic sessions at round-table discussions, and through personal contacts during poster sessions and field trips. It was clear from the enthusiastic response of most participants that the Conference, in large measure, succeeded in fulfilling its mission. Although draft papers were distributed to all participants, it was felt that the results obtained were worthy of organized and refined documentation. And this is precisely what this book intends to do.