Although the global recession has negatively affected wood chip sales as the demand for paper has been reduced, demand for woody biomass is growing in the UK and EU. Wood-based biofuels generate between two and nine times less carbon emissions than agriculturally-based biofuels.
The UK is planning to increase its biomass plants over 2010 in order to reach its goal of 15% of energy coming from renewable energy sources by 2020.
In May, Gujarat State Forest Development Corporation (GSFDC) in India began a new project to produce biomass fuel briquettes as an alternative to firewood. Mukesh Rawal, the general manager of Rajkot-based Radhe Engineering Company, said: “We have been developing biomass briquettes machinery for the last 15 years and have exported it to South Africa, Turkey, Pakistan, Uganda, and Tanzania. The state forest officials have also approached us to buy machinery from us.”