Of all terrestrial ecosystems, forests are the most important carbon reservoirs. Therefore they deserve special care and protection. They are also an irreplaceable source of biomass for energy. Forest biomass has been used as a fuel since the earliest times, and since the late twentieth century, there has been a renewed interest in its use for the production of heat and electricity. Forest biomass has become interesting as a source of energy due to some of its characteristics, above all its

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... lability and uniformity around the world, which implies that both developing and less developed countries can use biomass as a renewable source of energy. Furthermore, biomass fuel is considered to be CO2 neutral. However, its use is not risk-free. The risks are mainly related to the sustainability of forest systems and their productivity. Therefore, the forestry profession must be extremely cautious in using forest biomass and follow the prescribed allowable cut. This paper deals with the current state of biomass for energy, its estimates and properties as fuel. It studies the sustainability of biomass through the preservation of forest ecosystems and all multipurpose benefits of forests.