Bamboo is classified as grass from the plant family and belongs to the Bambusoideae subfamily. Its stems, like all grass, are hollow and are the largest grass of all others. It can also grow rapidly into a forest without much intervention. It is the fastest-growing plant in the world, with different growth rates depending on its different species.
Specific species of woody bamboo can grow as tall as thirty metres in height and as wide as twenty centimetres in diameter. Some species of bamboo can even reach heights of forty metres and grow thirty centimetres in diameter.
Bamboo requires far less attention than other plants and trees to grow. The fertilizer requirement of bamboo plants is also significantly less. This makes bamboo an ideal economical choice as an alternative biomass energy source.
BAMBOO RENEWABLE ENERGY
What makes bamboo an ideal choice for a sustainable energy source is that it is different from other trees, which when cut from the bark, seize to grow. Whereas, a bamboo plant continuously produces new perennial culms from its underground root system year after year. In addition to this, Its growth rate is very fast, upto 1 metre a day.
Another reason bamboo energy makes an ideal choice as an alternative biomass energy source is because of its rapid growth rate. Production and harvesting of bamboo can help curb deforestation and reduce the pressure on existing forests. When compared to petroleum and other sources of energy, bamboo renewable energy produces and emits much fewer pollutants which makes it even more eco-friendly.
Utilizing bamboo as a renewable energy source is a good option as it is a fast-growing and extremely versatile crop. Bamboo holds significant potential to be a power generator for powering communities. This is because It renews itself rapidly and grows much faster than any other crop, which makes it sustainable as well.
One billion people still live without access to electricity, worldwide. Bamboo as alternative energy has immense potential to be used for electricity generation and powering those communities. A single bamboo pole has the ability to provide enough electricity to a household to last one whole month. Bamboo is also the answer to fighting climate change as it produces 30% more oxygen when compared to trees spanning across an equal area of land.
THE POTENTIAL OF BAMBOO FOR ENERGY AND HOW IT CAN TRANSFORM ECONOMIES.
The first thing that makes bamboo renewable energy consist of much potential is to look for energy sources that have been proven to be good investments in the present as well as in the future. There are many technologies that claim to be good investments but are relatively new and have no proven track record and aren’t scalable. It is wise to invest in sources that are both scalable and practical.
The second thing to look out for if we want to see it’s economical benefits is to assess the time it will take for the completion of the project. It’s necessary to understand if the company is raising capital before development of the project or whether the project is ready to commence. This will help determine how long it will take to have a return on investment.
The third thing to consider that will show the potential of a resource is the details of the contract between the company and the customer or customers who are purchasing the power from the company. It is also important to identify how much a customer is paying for the power that is being purchased.
The fourth thing to consider that shows the potential of renewable energy sources is that studies have shown that by the year 2030, the renewable energy sector will receive investments worth $1.5 trillion in new power plants. While fossil fuels will still be a big power source, renewables will be bigger still in the future.
ABOUT AAKASH
AAKASH is among those visionaries who have taken early steps towards a sustainable ecosystem. Bamboo plantation is encouraged for not just the energy requirements fulfilled by Bamboo Biomass but also for the environmental benefits.
AAKASH advocates the use of Bamboo Biomass to meet the energy requirements in a clean and renewable manner. AAKASH has identified that Bamboo can provide as much energy as the conventional source with lesser environmental impact and carbon footprint.
AAKASH works with the collaborators involved in bringing about a constant business model on all aspects of Bamboo cultivation. Farming the plantation to mitigate climate change, would enhance the investors with power generation, infrastructure or the productive business style. AAKASH involves various stakeholders aiming at forming a business based on Bamboo and Bamboo biomass, ensuring an effective ecosystem.