Integrated renewable sources could meet 75% of global energy demand

A DUTCH expert has predicted that in the most environmentally friendly scenario, integrated renewable sources — biomass, wind, hydro and solar — could fill up to 75% of the world’s long-term energy needs.

Professor Jens Bo Nielsen, Aalborg University, also predicted at the national bioenergy conference in Tullamore, Co Offaly, it will be possible to meet the EU-27 energy demand of up to 20% of all energy from biomass and biogenic waste without harming the environment or being in competition with food-feed production. He said bioenergy is the EU’s best opportunity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and secure its energy supply.

Teagasc energy crop specialist Barry Caslin said 70,000 hectares of willow and miscanthus will be required by 2015 to meet Ireland’s electricity and heat targets.