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In Spain there is renewed interest in the utilization of forest residues for energy applications. However, some sectors of forestry management and some ecologists are against the removal of residues from the forest floor as they are a source of nutrients and organic matter. For this debate, we need arguments to define the restrictions that must be taken into account to preserve soil fertility when residues are to be collected.

Do you know of any studies, publications or working groups dealing with environmental effects of the collection of forest residues, in general, and especially its influence on forest soil?

We would like to participate in any joint project to study this aspect of bioenergy. (Luis Esteban, Centro de Desarrollo de Energ�as Renovables (CIEMAT), Ctra N-111 km 206, 42290-Lubia, Soria, Spain; fax: +34 975 28 10 51; e-mail: [email protected] )

This is an issue that is being debated by everybody everywhere and we welcome comments from our readers.

Different wood energy initiatives being undertaken in Finland, Sweden and Austria clearly show how to cope with this aspect. For more information, please contact Miguel Trossero.

I have visited your Web site on biomass fuel and wish to inform you about the Australian Biomass Thermal System which can readily combust any biomass fuel with a moisture content in the vicinity of 80 percent and attain temperatures in excess of 1 000oC in doing so. The combustion process is so efficient that no smoke is emitted from the stack. In addition to green wood, all household food scraps can be used as fuel.

In 1995, I was invited by the University of California to present a paper on our system at an international incineration conference which was held in Seattle, United States. I was recently invited by another international aid agency, the Bureau for the Development of Perennial Oil Crops (BUROTROP), to give a presentation on the biomasss thermal system to their executive committee at their annual conference in Manila. The Philippines Coconut Authority is very keen to introduce my technology in the Philippines and I understand that it will make an application for funding through BUROTROP at their next meeting in November, in France. In addition, I have been liaising with Tsinghua University in China who have expressed interest in introducing our technology in China; and Brazil has also shown interest.

I anticipate that I will need to sell equity in my company in order to finance and commercialize the Australian Biomass Thermal System. (Frank Scott, Managing Director, Dalite Holdings Pty Ltd, 3/9 Riverview Street, South Perth, Australia; e-mail: [email protected] )

Ante todo, muchas gracias por el peri�dico env�o de la revista Forest Energy Forum, que es realmente muy interesante.

En el n�mero 4 aparece un art�culo sobre la dendroenerg�a como una alternativa para el desarrollo energ�tico sostenible en Cuba. Nosotros tenemos una amplia experiencia en utilizaci�n de biomasa y residuos celul�sicos de procesos como combustible para generaci�n de energ�a, tanto t�rmica como el�ctrica. Yo creo que nuestros dise�os tienen una tecnolog�a sumamente adecuada para nuestros pa�ses, sin sofisticaciones, en tama�os peque�os y medianos y con rendimientos absolutamente comparables a las m�s modernas tecnolog�as como pueden ser lechos fluidizados y/o gasificaciones. Ser�a de mi inter�s el poder colaborar con la adopci�n de soluciones aptas para lo que Cuba necesita.

Ser�a interesante poder ponerme en contacto con interesados en el tema. Yo estoy a disposici�n. (Eduardo Le�n, Ingenier�a Agrest Srl, Belgrano 355 -P13, 1092 Buenos Aires, Argentina; correo electr�nico: [email protected] )

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