Potential biomass energy from all aged chir pine forest of Kumaun Himalaya

Abstract

Energy stored by trees was assessed at four sites of natural chir pine forest. Total biomass and net production averaged 210·8 t ha⁻¹ and 15·0 t ha⁻¹ year⁻¹, respectively. The total energy stored as biomass and fixed during one year were 3·738 TJ ha⁻¹ and 0·26 TJ ha⁻¹ year⁻¹, respectively. Energy capture efficiency was 0·749 and 0·873% of photosynthetically active radiation respectively, for the above-ground and total tree vegetation. Energy stored in the biomass of the above-ground trees from 2935 ha or in the net annual above-ground production from 40 718 ha is sufficient to operate a 50 MW generating station for one year. Total biomass and net production from 1 ha of the natural chir pine forest are sufficient to meet energy needs (in terms of electrical energy) of an average household of Kumaun Himalaya for 60·0 and 4·3 years, respectively.