Sustainable Production of Bioenergy: A review of global bionenergy sustainability frameworks and assessment systems found that bioenergy is at risk of becoming demonised due to the impact it has had on commodity prices in some countries.

The report suggests measures such as industry self regulation, including a code of conduct applied by industry or consumer information mechanisms, and third party compliance schemes such as government regulation.

The report also states that a bioenergy sustainability framework would assist the Australian bioenergy industry to access overseas markets where admission is only granted to those biofuels which meet specified sustainability criteria.

In more positive news for the bioenergy industry, the World Bioenergy Association has submitted a position paper showing that the global potential to produce biomass for energy in a sustainable way is sufficient to meet global energy demand.

Article continues below…

The findings, based on a report issued by the Department of Energy and Technology at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, estimates potential bioenergy energy production at 1,135 – 1,548 ExaJoules (EJ) by 2050, which would easily support the current 490 EJ demand today.

“There is a lack of awareness of the enormous potential of bioenergy worldwide both among politicians, media and the public,” says Kent Nyström, president of World Bioenergy Association.

“We have to present these facts to political leaders since Bioenergy must play a major role in the strategy to combat climate change.”