Conditions and changing capacity. Woodfuels account for about 15 percent of the primary energy supply in developing countries and provide up to 80 percent of total energy in some countries. Use is concentrated among the poor. Woodfuel collection is responsible for much local deforestation in parts of Asia, Africa, and Latin America, although two-thirds of all woodfuel may come from roadsides, community woodlots, and wood industry residues, rather than forest sources. Woodfuel consumption is not expected to decline in coming decades, despite economic growth, but poor data make it difficult to determine the global supply and demand.

Data quality. The International Energy Agency (IEA) holds good recent data on wood energy production and consumption in industrial countries, where most wood energy is derived from industrial wood processing residues. Global time series data on woodfuel and charcoal production, available from FAO, are modeled or estimated from household surveys. Data on woodfuel plantations and nonforest sources of production (such as public lands) are patchy. Human dependence on woodfuel in developing countries is largely inferred from information on availability and price of other energy sources.