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Biomass: Recent economic studies
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conclusions. In these proceedings, one regrets also the discussion of different contributions. The quality of the contributions is very different: some (microbiology, matching of energy supply and demand, safety) are very instructive, others very general. In addition, m a n y explanations within the essays are due to the lack of incomplete or not understandable instructions, and several assumptions and statements are not sufficiently guarded against errors by references. This book is a good survey of the national state of the art, but it is not a handbook with which one is able to plan and construct a biogas plant. Therefore it has too m a n y gaps: the international and especially the European state of the art, which is much more wide than is reflected by the proceedings, has not been evaluated enough, especially as regards the kinetics of anaerobic digestion, energy balance of the process, reactor layout, process design, energy demand for mixing, questions of heat transfer etc. Thus, for the farmer, industrialist, or engineer little informed about biogas and its application in agriculture, who perhaps wishes to install a biogas plant and wants to get more general information about this field, this book is recommendable. Also, some chapters of this book can give scientists a good insight into the state of the art and research in the field of biogas in the U.K. But it is less worthwhile to read for somebody who is interested in special questions of plant design, layout, calculation, dimensioning, selection of engine generator sets, pumps, mixing systems, piping, wiring and so on - - it is not a manual. ROLF KLOSS
Institut [i~r Siedlungswasserwirtschaft und Abfalltechnik Universiti~t Hannover Welfengarten 1, D-3000 Hannover, Federal Republic of Germany BIOMASS
Biomass: Recent Economic Studies. J.C. Sourie and L. Killen (Editors). Elsevier Applied Science Publishers, Barking, 1986. Hardcover, 187 pp., £25.-. ISBN 1-85166-028-3. Hardly a day passes without a news item in newspaper or magazine or on T.V. or radio about the problems of agricultural surpluses - - especially in Europe and N. America, but increasingly in countries such as Thailand, Indonesia, Argentina, Australia, etc. This book is most relevant to the current discussions on what to do about the vast subsidies being spent annually to support farmers. As a Wall Street Journal editorial recently remarked "no one can say no to farmers"! The questions examined by the European Community research programme which resulted in a seminar in October 1985 (and hence this book) are (a)
359
what are the economics of non-food crop production and (b) what methodologies can be used in Government decision making? Some of the leading European participants in this debate presented 15 papers at the seminar. They represent a broad perspective of disciplines and countries and thus are more interesting than a purely economic debate, For example, short-rotation forestry is considered as a 'crop', there is an acknowledged and significant lack of data on the interactions of different land use policies for food and for fuel, and there is an acceptance of the need for considering 'social utility' as a criterion in macroeconomic studies. Some of the papers reject outright any chance of biomass becoming an economic source of energy whether for use from surplus crops, marginal land or short-rotation forestry. Some papers discuss the problem of the large agricultural subsidies and some even think this problem may disappear. This reviewer belongs to the Adelman school of economic thought which says that land use subsidies are essential for development and are unlikely to ever disappear. Thus use them to produce something useful - - like energy, chemicals? The book could have very usefully incorporated an index of key words and author citations to make it more accessible to a wider audience. Nevertheless it is important that those involved in the debate on what to do about subsidies for land use should read this book. D.O. H A L L
Department of Biology, King's College London Campden Hill Road, London W8 7AH, Great Britain
conclusions. In these proceedings, one regrets also the discussion of different contributions. The quality of the contributions is very different: some (microbiology, matching of energy supply and demand, safety) are very instructive, others very general. In addition, m a n y explanations within the essays are due to the lack of incomplete or not understandable instructions, and several assumptions and statements are not sufficiently guarded against errors by references. This book is a good survey of the national state of the art, but it is not a handbook with which one is able to plan and construct a biogas plant. Therefore it has too m a n y gaps: the international and especially the European state of the art, which is much more wide than is reflected by the proceedings, has not been evaluated enough, especially as regards the kinetics of anaerobic digestion, energy balance of the process, reactor layout, process design, energy demand for mixing, questions of heat transfer etc. Thus, for the farmer, industrialist, or engineer little informed about biogas and its application in agriculture, who perhaps wishes to install a biogas plant and wants to get more general information about this field, this book is recommendable. Also, some chapters of this book can give scientists a good insight into the state of the art and research in the field of biogas in the U.K. But it is less worthwhile to read for somebody who is interested in special questions of plant design, layout, calculation, dimensioning, selection of engine generator sets, pumps, mixing systems, piping, wiring and so on - - it is not a manual. ROLF KLOSS
Institut [i~r Siedlungswasserwirtschaft und Abfalltechnik Universiti~t Hannover Welfengarten 1, D-3000 Hannover, Federal Republic of Germany BIOMASS
Biomass: Recent Economic Studies. J.C. Sourie and L. Killen (Editors). Elsevier Applied Science Publishers, Barking, 1986. Hardcover, 187 pp., £25.-. ISBN 1-85166-028-3. Hardly a day passes without a news item in newspaper or magazine or on T.V. or radio about the problems of agricultural surpluses - - especially in Europe and N. America, but increasingly in countries such as Thailand, Indonesia, Argentina, Australia, etc. This book is most relevant to the current discussions on what to do about the vast subsidies being spent annually to support farmers. As a Wall Street Journal editorial recently remarked "no one can say no to farmers"! The questions examined by the European Community research programme which resulted in a seminar in October 1985 (and hence this book) are (a)
359
what are the economics of non-food crop production and (b) what methodologies can be used in Government decision making? Some of the leading European participants in this debate presented 15 papers at the seminar. They represent a broad perspective of disciplines and countries and thus are more interesting than a purely economic debate, For example, short-rotation forestry is considered as a 'crop', there is an acknowledged and significant lack of data on the interactions of different land use policies for food and for fuel, and there is an acceptance of the need for considering 'social utility' as a criterion in macroeconomic studies. Some of the papers reject outright any chance of biomass becoming an economic source of energy whether for use from surplus crops, marginal land or short-rotation forestry. Some papers discuss the problem of the large agricultural subsidies and some even think this problem may disappear. This reviewer belongs to the Adelman school of economic thought which says that land use subsidies are essential for development and are unlikely to ever disappear. Thus use them to produce something useful - - like energy, chemicals? The book could have very usefully incorporated an index of key words and author citations to make it more accessible to a wider audience. Nevertheless it is important that those involved in the debate on what to do about subsidies for land use should read this book. D.O. H A L L
Department of Biology, King's College London Campden Hill Road, London W8 7AH, Great Britain