Task 40 "Deployment of Biobased Value Chains"

(IEA Bioenergy Task 40) The core objective of the new Task 40 with the updated title "Deployment of biobased value chains" is to support deploying viable, efficient bioenergy value chains in the context of
 sustainable, national and international markets,
 reflecting on policy developments, and economic aspects, including
financing,
 international, national and regional trade of biomass,

recognizing technological development, technology implementation and market diffusion, the diversity in biomass resources, value chains and competitive applications for bioenergy, biobased materials, chemicals, and products.

Task 40 Work scope
The focus in the new triennium is on the development and design of efficient, economically viable and bankable value chains in order to support a larger deployment of sustainable biomass for energy, but also for biobased products, chemicals, and materials, taking into account food, feed and fiber markets.

New Intertask Project: Deployment of Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage/Utilization

Many scenarios that meet the target of limiting global warming to well below 2°C (WB2 target) include a significant – and increasing – contribution of biomass-based energy supply (bioenergy). At the same time, there is disagreement about the role of bioenergy for reaching the WB2 target and studies differ significantly concerning the potential and usage of biomass at global as well as regional levels.

On the one hand, bioenergy implementation is associated with trade-offs and challenges. On the other hand, bioenergy has advantages in terms of technological readiness (esp. in the transport sector), storability, flexibility, and the potential for being a negative emission technology (NET). Additionally, bioenergy is aligned with several of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and bioenergy implementation strategies differ depending on context conditions and prioritization among SDGs. The new intertask project will assess the role of bioenergy in WB2/SDG scenarios, with the objective to identify and disseminate strategies for bioenergy implementation that contribute positively to a societal transition towards the WB2 target, while simultaneously contributing to other SDG objectives.

The project will also address trade-offs and concerns about possible negative impacts of bioenergy expansion, with a focus on mitigating these challenges and identifying opportunities for synergies between bioenergy deployment and
SDG implementation.

The IEA Bioenergy Tasks will work together in this project regarding deployment (Task 40), resource potential and supply chains (Task 43), flexibility and systems integration (Task 44) as well as sustainability (Task 45 – project lead).

New Intertask Project: Renewable Gas - Deployment, Markets and Sustainable Trade

The new strategic intertask project “Renewable Gas” (RG) will analyze the prospects of implementing RG in the energy markets of IEA countries, and beyond. It is led by Task 40, with participation from Tasks 37, 44 and 45.

The RG project aims to provide state-of-the-art overviews on prospects, opportunities and challenges for various mechanisms (e.g. green gas certificates, quotas) for deploying biogas, biomethane and other renewable gases. It will discuss technological and sustainability issues of RG from a deployment perspective, and will derive respective
recommendations for policy-makers. The project will draw upon a combination of literature reviews, policy analysis, and stakeholder consultations to provide decision makers and the research community with a compre-hensive overview of what is currently known regarding RG, and which mechanisms are considered to fulfil the important role of
RG in a decarbonized future.

The RG project will also provide input to the strategic intertask projects on “Bioenergy in a WB2/SDG world”, “High-Temperature Industrial Heat” and to the collaborative intertask project on BECCS/U. READ MORE