The impact of the biomass energy use on CO2 emissions: A Panel data model for 15 countries

Biomass energy is a double-edged sword. There are two theories of the relationship between biomass and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Proponents of the first theory predict that biomass is carbon neutral, so that its use reduces CO2 emissions. Supporters of the second theory argue that biomass can be harmful to the environment by emitting a significant amount of carbon. In this context, the current analysis investigates the relationship between biomass and carbon emissions for 15 countries during the period 1991-2011. This study uses one proxy of carbon emissions, namely (CO2) and one proxy of biomass use, namely electricity generation produced from biomass and waste energy (BIO). Using the Panel data model, the results showed that the biomass reduces the CO2 emissions and has a positive role in the reduction of the carbon. The researches also concluded that there is non-linear relationship between the level of growth expressed by the real gross domestic product (GDP) and the CO2. Finally, the population is positively correlated with the CO2 emissions.