%0 Articles %T Supply and demand of biomass based energy: rural people's perspectives in Bangladesh %A Hassan, Md. Kamrul %D 2015 %J Dissertationes Forestales %V 2015 %N 210 %R doi:10.14214/df.210 %U http://dissertationesforestales.fi/article/1992 %X Biomass is the most common and significant indigenous source of energy in rural areas of Bangladesh. The widespread use of biomass for energy is a source of concern as it may lead to overexploitation of forest resources and the conversion of woodlands to other non-forestry purposes, which potentially have negative impacts not only for climate change but also for local food and fuel production. Moreover, a lack of comprehensive data on resource availability, biomass consumption patterns, and the absence of information in regard to public attitudes and knowledge of biomass fuels in general have been recognized as major obstacles to the development of modern and efficient biomass based energy use in Bangladesh. This study examines four aspects of bioenergy in Bangladesh: the bioenergy potential, the energy consumption patterns of rural households, the preferences and attitudes of rural households towards biomass fuels, and finally their knowledge and perceptions of sustainable energy development. The results revealed that the recoverable bioenergy potential from selected crop residues and wood fuels amounted to about 762 million GJ in 2009. However, the potential is predicted to reach 946 million GJ by 2020 under the “status quo” benchmark levels and could reach a maximum of 1236 million GJ under higher GDP growth rates (Article I). Biomass fuels were identified as the predominant source of primary energy supply. Per capita primary energy consumption was estimated at 6.45 GJ/year with the proportion from biomass fuels estimated at about 6.03 GJ (equivalent to 93% of the total energy consumption) (Article II). The study showed that biomass fuel consumption is influenced by family size, per capita income, and per capita land. Firewood was the most preferred biomass fuel followed by cow dung, bamboo and jute stalk (Article III). However, due to the continuous decline in the tree resources, the availability of firewood is now in short supply. On-farm and off-farm tree planting have become more important among rural households in response to the acute lack of firewood supply. Recognizing the importance of public knowledge on the development of renewable energy, the study found that rural households possessed a high level of knowledge of traditional biomass fuels; however, they had a relatively low level of knowledge on newer biofuels and other renewables (Article IV). This implies that there is a need for the dissemination of information in regard to bioenergy and other renewable energy technologies among the rural populace. Depletion of tree resources, inadequate afforestation programmes, and a lack of initiatives towards the utilization of set-aside lands for wood energy plantations has been identified as the major impediments to biomass-based energy development in Bangladesh. Analysis showed that an enhancement of the afforestation programme, building public awareness of energy technologies, and the formulation of ‘biomass-based rural energy strategies’ are relevant for the development of sustainable biomass based energy in Bangladesh. The results provide detailed information on bioenergy and other renewable energy dynamics, which are useful in the development of microplans for the forestry and energy sectors at local, regional and national levels.