Bioenergy farming using woody crops. A review

The global energy consumption was 540 EJ in 2010, representing an increase of about 80 % from 1980. Energy demand is predicted to grow more than 50 % by 2025. Fossil fuels will supply about 75 % of the future energy demand in 2030-2050 if there are no significant technological innovations or carbon emission constraints. This will induce in a substantial increase of CO2 atmospheric concentration and, in turn, adverse climatic impacts. A solution to this issue is to replace fossil fuels by renewable fuels such as biomass. For instance cultivated woody biomass shows many advantages such as allowing multiple harvests without having to re-plant. Poplar, eucalyptus, salix, paulownia and black locust are common examples of woody biomass. Here we review the current situation and future tendency of renewable energy focusing on solid biomass in Europe and Spain. We also discuss the potential production for short-rotation plantations in the bioenergy sector and existing constraints for the implantation in Spain in a sustainable context. Countries with low biomass resources and high targets for renewable electricity may have to depend on imported solid biomass, whereas countries with wide solid biomass resources benefit from international markets. The expansion of short-rotation plantations is much lower than expected in some countries such as Spain.