Passage-1
Biomass as fuel for power, heat, and transport has the highest mitigation potential of all renewable sources. It comes from agriculture and forest residues as well as from energy crops. The biggest challenge in using biomass residues is a long-term reliable supply delivered to the power plant at reasonable costs; the key problems are logistical constraints and the costs of fuel collection. Energy crops, if not managed properly, compete with food production and may have undesirable impacts on food prices. Biomass production is also sensitive to the physical impacts of a changing climate. Projections of the future role of biomass are probably overestimated, given the limits to the sustainable biomass supply, unless breakthrough technologies substantially increase productivity. Climate-energy models project that biomass use could increase nearly four-fold to around 150 – 200 exajoules, almost a quarter of world primary energy in 2050. However, the maximum sustainable technical potential of biomass resources (both residues and energy crops) without disruption of food and forest resources ranges from 80 – 170 exajoules a year by 2050, and only part of this is realistically and economically feasible. In addition, some climate models rely on biomass-based carbon capture and storage, an unproven technology, to achieve negative emissions and to buy some time during the first half of the century.
Some liquid biofuels such as corn-based ethanol, mainly for transport, may aggravate rather than ameliorate carbon emissions on a life-cycle basis. Second generation biofuels, based on lignocellulosic feedstocks – such as straw, bagasse, grass and wood – hold the promise of sustainable production that is high-yielding and emit low levels of greenhouse gases, but these are still in the R and D stage.
With reference to the passage, following assumptions have been made:
1. Some climate-energy models suggest that the use of biomass as a fuel for power generation helps in mitigating greenhouse gas emissions.
2. It is not possible to use biomass as a fuel for power generation without disrupting food and forest resources.
Which of these assumptions is/are valid?
Correct Answer :
1 only
Solution :
The correct option is 1 only.
Let us analyze the validity of the assumptions based on the provided passage step-by-step:
1. Analysis of Assumption 1:
The passage states in its very first sentence: "Biomass as fuel for power, heat, and transport has the highest mitigation potential of all renewable sources." Furthermore, it mentions that "Climate-energy models project that biomass use could increase nearly four-fold...". Since biomass as fuel for power generation has mitigation potential, it implies that these climate-energy models suggest its use helps in mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, Assumption 1 is valid.
2. Analysis of Assumption 2:
The passage discusses the technical potential of biomass resources "without disruption of food and forest resources", stating it ranges from 80 – 170 exajoules a year by 2050. This indicates that it is indeed possible to use biomass as a fuel up to a certain limit (80 – 170 exajoules) without disrupting food and forest resources, provided it is managed properly and stays within sustainable limits. Therefore, the absolute statement that "It is not possible to use biomass as a fuel for power generation without disrupting food and forest resources" is incorrect, making Assumption 2 invalid.
Since only the first assumption is valid, the correct choice is 1 only.
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