5^th World Bioenergy Congress and Expo

Biography

Biography: Luís Cortez

Abstract

Nearly half of the renewable energy used worldwide is still in the form of unsustainable traditional biomass, bringing great problems to the users and to local environment. Among the main identified problems are: time consumed in its gathering, transport and final use; associated problems derived from inefficient cooking operation; and environmental problems regarding deforestation and impoverishment of soil. The paper discuss the advantages of using modern biomass, both in agriculture, conversion and final use, in an attempt to improve quality of life of users, the environment and also the socio-economic scenario, particularly in the developing countries. The paper also comments the apparent paradox of suggesting modern bioenergy in less developed countries where food security is a big concern. The thesis here is that sustainable bioenergy production may bring more efficiency to agriculture which will also result in more benefits to food security, as observed in countries like Brazil in the last 40 years of its main bioenergy program. Therefore, contrarily to what many researchers believe, modern bioenergy presents the essential features to meet needs of developing countries improving both food and fuel securities. 

Recent Publications:

1. Dubois, O. “What FAO Thinks and Does about Biofuels and Food Security” PP presentation at the Workshop on Biofuels and Food Security Meeting - IFPRI, Washington DC, 19 November 2014
2. FAO, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Climdata Rainfall Database. Rome: United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, Sustainable Development Department, Agro meteorology Group, 1997. In: BNDES & CGEE; Bioetanol de cana-de-açúcar – energia para o desenvolvimento sustentável. 1ª Edição, Rio de Janeiro, November 2008
3. GBEP “Bioenergy Facts and Figures” 2007
4. Goldemberg, J. Coelho, S.; Renewable energy—traditional biomass vs. modern biomass, Energy Policy 32 (2004) 711–714
5. Karekezi, S.; Lata, K.; Coelho, S.T. “Traditional Biomass Energy: Improving its Use and Moving to Modern Energy Use” Secretariat of the International Conference for Renewable Energies, Bonn 2004, 56p.
6. Rosillo-Calle, F. and F. Johnson (Editor) Food vs Fuel. Zed Books. 232p., 2010.