Preface

Since the early times of human civilizations, biomass has been a major source of energy for the world’s people. Biomass energy or bioenergy, the energy from organic matter, is being used by human beings since thousands of years, ever since people started burning wood to cook food or to keep warm. Today still non-wood, forest residues, and agricultural biomass are our largest biomass resources. Biomass includes plants, residues from agriculture or forestry materials. So, the proper utili­zation of biomass can be environmentally friendly because, it will not only be able to solve the disposal problem but also can create value-added products from this biomass. It is also a renewable resource because plants to make biomass can be grown over and over and certainly as alternative source of energy. The use of agri­cultural biomass is constantly growing and will likely to continue to grow in future. It is estimated that utilization of biomass can also reduce global warming compared to fossil fuel. Energy crops, such as fast-growing trees and grasses, are called bio­mass feedstocks. The use of biomass feedstocks can also help to increase profits for the agricultural based industries.

Biomass obtained from agricultural residues or forest can be used to produce different materials and bioenergy required in a modern society. As compared to other resources available, biomass is one of the most common and widespread resources in the world. Thus, biomass has the potential to provide a renewable energy source, both locally and across large areas of the world. It is estimated that the total investment in the biomass sector will reach up to $104 billion from 2008 to 2021. Presently bioenergy is the most important renewable energy option and will remain so in the near and medium-term future. Previously several countries try to explore utilization of biomass in bioenergy and polymer composite sector. Biomass has the potential to become the world’s largest and most sustainable energy source and will be very much in demand. Bioenergy is based on resources that can be utilized on a sustainable basis all around the world and can thus serve as an effective option for the provision of energy services. In addition, the benefits accrued go beyond energy provision, creating unique opportunities for regional development.

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The present book “Biomass and Bioenergy,” volume 1, provides an up-to-date account of processing and properties of non-wood, forest residues, agricultural biomass (natural fibers) and its composites and bioenergy to ensure biomass utiliza­tion and reuse.

We wish to express our gratitude to all the contributors from all over the world for readily accepting our invitations and sharing their knowledge and expertise. We are thankful to authors for helping us to formulate diverse fields and also admirably integrating their scattered information from diverse fields in composing the chapters and enduring editorial suggestions to finally produce this venture that we hope will be a success. We greatly appreciate their commitment.

We are highly thankful to Springer-Verlag team for their unstinted cooperation at every stage of the book production.

Selangor, Malaysia Khalid Rehman Hakeem

Mohammad Jawaid Umer Rashid