The contribution of biomass energy on urban sustainable development: Opportunities and challenges

Year 2025, Volume: 8 Issue: 3, 770 - 783, 30.09.2025

Ali Jahanbakhsh Mashhadi , María Cristina García González Seyed Behbood Issa-zadeh

https://doi.org/10.35208/ert.1563758

Abstract

This paper examines the biomass energy issue, particularly its potential and challenges in urban sustainable development. With the increase in demand for energy worldwide and the gradual depletion of traditional fossil fuel sources, biomass, and other new and sustainable sources are becoming increasingly critical. A qualitative approach is taken to develop the framework, considering literature reviews, which use PRISMA-SCR and VOS viewer to filter literature and content related to the main issue of the study and then categorize opportunities and challenges of biomass energy in urban planning. The results highlight the potential of biomass in meeting energy demands on a global scale but simultaneously stress the need for expert management to leverage this potential. The advantages of biomass energy include but are not limited to enhancing economic development, environmental improvement, and boosting energy security by decreasing reliance on fossil fuels. Land allocation disputes and negative energy balance issues complicate the situation, but recent technologies have addressed such challenges. The policy and planning implications show that the potential of biomass energy can only be fully exploited with government policy support, infrastructure investment, and international cooperation. Above all, this research demonstrates that, despite the limitations, biomass energy provides significant benefits for city sustainability by diversifying the energy supply, intending to achieve goals compatible with global sustainable development. Areas for future research are provided, focusing on more quantitative and empirical research to solve problems and verify theories. In fact, cities need to use biomass energy from ecological and equitable perspectives.

Keywords

Sustainable development , urban planning , biomass energy , sustainability , renewable energy

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