This report aims to provide a document that gives guidance on the issue of biomass energy policies in OECD countries. How can the use of biomass for energy be improved, in order to make better use of sustainable biomass potential and increase the positive and reduce the negative impacts?
The first step in the biomass-to-energy chain is supply and production of the biomass. These processes can be improved by various means, in particular by improving domestic supply and trade and reducing the environmental impact of biomass production. The use of land for bioenergy crop cultivation and any associated land use changes are key to the environmental performance of bioenergy, its socio-economic impacts and competition with food and feed. The second step is conversion and use. The key issues for improving these steps in the biomass-to-bioenergy chain are improving the efficiency of conversion and use and using low-carbon auxiliary energy sources in the processes. To support policy-makers in their efforts to improve policies related to biomass for energy, the report also provides a list of criteria for better use of biomass for this purpose.
This study was jointly commissioned by IEA RETD and IEA Bioenergy. The main conclusions and messages from this project were published in a joint IEA RETD and IEA Bioenergy Position Paper and presented at the COP15 in December 2009. This paper can be downloaded here and at www.iea-retd.org.