Wood is widely considered as the very first source of energy for humankind. Today it is still an important source of renewable energy in the global total primary energy supply.
More than two billion people depend on woodfuels for cooking and/or heating, mostly in developing countries. Wood represents a domestically available and affordable source of energy, making it one of the most decentralized energy sources in the world.
Woodfuels arise from multiple sources including forests, other wooded land and trees outside forests, co-products from wood processing, post-consumer recovered wood and processed wood-based fuels. Woodfuel is also an important emergency backup energy. Societies at any socio-economic level may switch back to woodfuel when encountering economic difficulties, natural disasters, conflict situations or fossil fuel supply shortages.
Woodfuels are a very important forest product. Fuelwood and charcoal production are often the predominant use of woody biomass in developing countries and economies in transition.
Today, wood for energy use has entered a new phase of high importance and visibility with climate change and energy security concerns.
Did you know?
#1
More than two billion people worldwide are relying on biomass energy, mostly woodfuels, for household cooking and heating.
#2
Woodfuels are locally available, easily accessible, normally affordable, and relatively reliable in most areas of human settlements.
#3
Around half of the wood extracted from forests is directly burnt for energy use, which has significant implications on high value-added use of wood resources.
#4
Traditional use of woodfuels by a large population brings in major concerns on its social, economic, and environmental impacts.
#5
Promoting transition from traditional to modern use of woodfuels helps address concerns on indoor air pollution leading to health problems, forest degradation affecting forest ecosystem services, and greenhouse gas emissions that associate with climate change.
#6
FAO supports member countries in promoting sustainable production and consumption of woodfuels through technical assistance and information sharing.
Highlights
Wood energy info portal
It is an online database and platform for knowledge and information sharing. It focuses on major initiatives, policies and regulations, programs and projects in developing countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
Forests and energy - Infographic
Forests are nature’s powerhouse and a vital resource for meeting the world’s renewable-energy demand.
Sustainable management of Miombo woodlands - Food security, nutrition and wood energy
The woodlands are characterized by the dominance of Brachystegia species, either alone or in association with Julbernardia and Isoberlinia species.
Relevant Links
- Climate change
- Energy
- Forest product statistics
- Forestry responses to disasters module on SFM Toolbox
- Global Bioenergy Partnership
- Non-wood forest products
- Wood energy module on SFM Toolbox
- Sustainable Wood for a Sustainable World
- FAO emergencies and resilience
Tools and platforms
- Biomass energy sector planning guide
- The national bioenergy investment model (NBIM)
- Improved methods for carbon accounting for bioenergy
- Market research in the clean cooking sector - Tools and tips
- The enterprise development toolkit - Supporting clean cooking enterprises on their journey to scale
- Woodfuel Integrated Supply/Demand Overview Mapping (WISDOM)
- FAOSTAT: Forestry database
- Gender: Social inclusion in the energy sector - Online resources
- Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) Toolbox
Contact
Xia Zuzhang
Forestry Officer
Wood Energy
Forestry Division
[email protected]