Contents: Foreword, Preface, Acknowledgements, Abbreviations, List of Tables and Figures, 1. The Energy Scenario, Energy forms and sources, Energy-forestry- agriculture linkages, Energy systems relevant to India, Present study: Purpose and scope, Part-I Social Forestry Component, 2. Geophysical and Biotic Environment of Himachal Himalayas, Geographical features, Topography and soil, People, livestock and Landuse Pattern, Climate and Vegetation, 3. Forestry Sector, Forestry in India, Forestry in Himachal Pradesh, Forestry in social context (i) Denudation in the himalayas, (ii) Emergence of social forestry, (iii) Benefits and Constraints, 4. The Social Forestry Model, Rationale and Objectives, Methodology: study, design and area, Analysis of data, The proposed social forestry Model, Part II Biogas Component, 5. Biogas Technology, Relevance of biogas technology, Biogas plant design and mechanics, Research strategies, 6. Biogas Microbiology, Thermochemical conversion of biomass, Biological aspects of biogas production, microbiological decomposition of leaf-litter biomass, 7. Biogas From Dung and Leaf-Litter Mixtures, Purpose, Scope and Methodology, Observations and Inferences, Part-III Integration of Social Forestry and Biogas Components, 8. Integrated Rural Energy Planning, Rural energy problems, rural energy data base system, integrated planning, (i) Rural energy sources and consumption patterns, (ii) Rural energy cooperatives, (iii) Photosynthetic model of energy.