An overview of biomass energy utilization in Pakistan

Energy plays a pivotal role in socio-economic development by raising standard of living. Biomass has been used as an energy source for thousands of years by the humankind. Traditional fuels like firewood, dung and crop residues currently contribute a major share in meeting the everyday energy requirements of rural and low-income urban households in Pakistan. An average biomass using household consumes 2325 kg of firewood or 1480 kg of dung or 1160 kg of crop residues per annum. There are good prospects for using biogas energy in rural areas through a network of community biogas plants. Development of fuel-efficient cook stoves is a modest effort to help conserve biomass energy at domestic level. PCRET has so far installed 60,000 energy-conserving, improved cooking stoves all over the country, which are 12-28% efficient. E-10 gasoline pilot project and research on biodiesel production are underway. Sugarcane bagasse can potentially be used to generate 2000 MW of electric power. Attention is now being given to the use of municipal and industrial waste for power generation. The government is financing many projects related to biomass energy development in the country, but still lot more efforts are needed for harnessing full potential and taking maximum benefit out of this important renewable energy resource. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.