The ongoing energy transition is mainly driven by reductions in the cost of wind and solar energy, and political efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Although substantial deployment of variable renewable energy (VRE) is an important part of the overall transformation, rapid changes in the energy mix may pose challenges to the resilience of the electricity grid, particularly in times of weather-related stress. As fossil generation capacity is being retired and replaced by VRE generation, it raises the important question of how to maintain the stability and reliability of future energy supply.
Although climate and energy policies are still largely focussed on electricity, most of the energy is used for heating, cooling, and transport. These sectors have remained deeply reliant on fossil fuels and significant decarbonisation efforts are needed to ensure that the overall emission pledges of the Paris Accord can be met. In addition to sector-specific measures, it is essential to recognise the links between electricity, heat and transport and exploit synergies so that these sectors will support each other’s in the effort to decarbonise.
News and Highlights
Triennium 2025-2027 Kick-off meeting at IIASA
🌍 Exciting Kick-off at IIASA! 🌍 We had the pleasure of launching the IEA Bioenergy Task44 workplan for 2025-2027 at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) in beautiful Laxenburg, Austria, on 25-26 March 2025. Our team is...
Paper on flexibility provision of bioenergy in multi-energy systems through model-based control
As we strive to balance the volatility of renewables with the diverse demands of various sectors, the need for advanced, flexible control strategies becomes paramount. A new conference paper delves into the state-of-the-art and innovative approaches required to...
Recent Events
Start of Triennium 2025-2027 and Kick off in Austria
The new triennium 2025-2027 has officially begun, and we are thrilled to continue working with Austria, Finland, the European Commission, Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden. We are delighted to welcome Canada as a new member and China, for the first time, as an...
BBEST & IEA Bioenergy 2024 Conference
The BBEST – IEA Bioenergy 2024 Conference was held in São Paulo, Brazil, from October 22 to 24, 2024, providing Task 44 an excellent platform to share its work. Daniela Thrän (Task Leader) contributed as a panelist in the plenary roundtable session How can policies...
Latest Publications and Reports
Technologies for Flexible Bioenergy (Updated)
Task 44 new report published As the share of variable renewables like wind and solar increases, flexibility becomes a key requirement for stable and resilient energy systems. This report explores how sustainable bioenergy can provide flexibility to the energy system...
Value of Flexible Bioenergy – Report assessing electricity markets
The economic value of flexible bioenergy in Austria, Finland, and Germany is assessed in our new report: The Value of Flexible Bioenergy - An empirical assessment of the electricity markets in selected European Countries. The economic value of flexible bioenergy is...
The IEA Bioenergy Technology Collaboration Programme (TCP) is organised under the auspices of the International Energy Agency (IEA) but is functionally and legally autonomous. Views, findings and publications of the IEA Bioenergy TCP do not necessarily represent the views or policies of the IEA Secretariat or its individual member countries.