**6. Benefit of biomass utilization**

Biomass is renewable, potentially sustainable and relatively environmentally benign source of energy. It is free from carbon dioxide. Thus, the substitution of fossil fuels for energy gen‐ eration using biomass will result into a net reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the replacement of a non-renewable energy source.

Biomass fuels have negligible sulphur content and, hence, do not contribute to sulphur diox‐ ide emissions, which cause acid rain. The combustion of biomass produces less ash than coal combustion, and the ash produced can be used as a soil additive on farm target.

Biomass is a domestic resource, which is not subject to world price fluctuations or supply uncertainties. If well developed in the country, the use of biofuels, such as ethanol and bio‐ diesel, reduces the economic pressures of importing petroleum products.

#### **6.1. Environmental impact of biomass energy**

Biomass energy generation systems raise some environmental issues that must be ad‐ dressed. Issues such as air pollution, impact on forests, and impact due to crop cultivation must be addressed case by case. Produced and consumed in a sustainable fashion, and there is no net contribution of carbon dioxide to global warming when fossil fuels are burnt, car‐ bon dioxide is released that has been stored underground for millions of years, making a net contribution to atmospheric greenhouse gases. Hence, if managed carefully, biomass energy has significant environmental advantage over the use of fossil fuels. An appropriate level of biomass energy use can have less environmental impact than our current use of fossil fuels.
