Biofuel use and its emission of noxious gases in rural China

This article discusses biomass resources and its consumption in China's farming area. In 2000, the annual yield of crop-straw was about 6900 Mt, of which 54%, could be used Lis a source of energy. The reasonable supply of firewood was about 150 Mt. The total consumption of biofuel in China's rural area was 219 Mtce, among which crop-straw and firewood accounted for 44 and 56%, respectively. The proportion of the available heat from commercial energy over the total available heat consumed in the countryside was 0.513, and biofuel consumption decreases 3.8%, annually. China is at it transition point from a period of noncommercial energy to a period of commercial energy being the main source of energy. This article discusses the effect of the discharge of noxious gases caused by the consumption of biofuel. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.