Review of feedstock supply for bioenergy in IEA Bioenergy

Understanding the potential biomass supply for available for bioenergy and biofuel production is challenging. Required datasets are often missing or generated inconsistently, making it difficult to understand year-to-year availability. A number of different units are used to track biomass in different sectors, and converting between these units is confounded as yields, densities, and energy content varies from feedstock to feedstock. Typically, bioenergy capitalizes on feedstocks that are not suitable for higher value applications, are available in suitable quantities at centralized locations, and are economically viable. A significant gap exists in terms of understanding the flow of diverse feedstocks to bioenergy production, and in terms of understanding potentially accessible and inaccessible fibre. This lack of information serves as a barrier, preventing policymakers and decisionmakers from substantiating the role of bioenergy in the wider circular bioeconomy, and in terms of understanding residues and waste streams within the production systems.

This report has two primary objectives: (1) to define and inform a framework for tracking biomass feedstocks and potential availability for bioenergy, biofuel, and bioproduct use; and (2) to provide an update on the availability of different types of biomass feedstocks that are (or can be) used for bioenergy within Task 43 countries.

View the full report here: Review of feedstock supply for bioenergy in IEA Bioenergy