The rapid expansion of intermittent and feedstock-independent renewable electricity (i.e., photo-voltaic and wind energy) moves flexibility as a system requirement into the spotlight of European, Asian, Canadian and U.S. policy discussions. Batteries, hydropower, power grids, demand side management, and sector-coupling with heat pumps for residential heating, with electric vehicles and based on power-to-liquid conversion technologies are trending topics among policymakers, practitioners, and academia. This debate focuses on the growing risks of short-term uncertainties and volatilities influenced by the time of day and weather on power systems.
The IEA Bioenergy Task 44 started in 2019 to analyse and promote the potential contributions of bioenergy to fill the generation gaps of expanding photo-voltaic and wind power capacities. The findings of the first triennium are published in an extensive policy, market, and scientific literature review (Schipfer et al., 2022)[1] and in the first ten reports on this topic on https://task44.ieabioenergy.com/. The findings in these publications and their respective outreach activities diverted from our primary expectations and significantly extended the scope of the Task.
While we explored the IEA Bioenergy contributions in the energy system flexibilisation debate in the triennium 2022-2024, we will set out to perpetuate the relevance of the Task beyond the power scope in the triennium 2025-2027. We will continue to frame “bioenergy flexibility and system integration” based on a first, consolidated Task 44 definition and TCP coordination work from the triennium 2022-2024. We must improve our understanding of storage and infrastructure requirements, assessment techniques for the opportunities of and challenges for system flexibilisation via multi-sector coupling and system integration, and circular economy focusing on the effectiveness of residues valorisation, and the resilience and reliability of transformation pathways. We expect the future potential of our work to, first and foremost, lie in elevating the role of chemical energy, including solid, liquid, and gaseous biofuels, renewable hydrogen, and hybrid energy carriers (e.g., PtL based on biobased carbon) in an increasingly electrified world with greater sector coupling and on a longer term, beyond the energy transition.
The Work Programme includes four Work Packages (WPs) as following:
WP1: Flexible bioenergy integration in the electricity and heat sector
Provide science-based information on system integration via flexible bioenergy. The focus of WP1 is on the Priority Areas of “Conversion Technologies”, “Markets and Deployment of Sustainable Bioenergy”.
- WP1.1 Best practices
- WP1.2 Automation workshop
- WP1.3 Cost reduction study
- WP1.4 Catalogue of services
WP2: Exploring flexibility in fuels and chemicals production
Explore the synergies and trade-offs of bioenergy integration with other clean energy technologies and bio-based sectors. The focus of WP2 is on the Priority Areas of “Conversion Technologies”, “Markets and Deployment of Sustainable Bioenergy”.
- WP2.1 Inventory study
- WP2.2 Showcasing examples and expert workshop
WP3: Assessing system-wide impacts of flexibilisation and system integration
Improve the understanding of key features of bioenergy flexibility, system flexibilisation, and system integration. The focus of WP3 is on the Priority Area “System aspects”.
- WP3.1 Modelling workshop (optionally including BECCS aspects)
- WP3.2 Blueprints for integration
- WP3.3 “BECCS potential in future energy systems” workshop
- WP3.4 BECCS success factors discussion paper (Inter-Task and Inter-TCP content)
WP4: System integration of flexible bioenergy – Progress towards implementation
Demonstrate the relevance of flexible bioenergy, system flexibilisation, and system integration in the policy for the energy and climate targets and Sustainable Development Goal. The focus of WP4 is on the Priority Area “System Aspects”.
- WP4.1 Policy monitoring report
- WP4.2 Policy Synthesis Report
[1] Schipfer, F., E. Mäki, U. Schmieder, N. Lange, T. Schildhauer, C. Hennig, und D. Thrän. „Status of and Expectations for Flexible Bioenergy to Support Resource Efficiency and to Accelerate the Energy Transition“. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 158 (1. April 2022): 112094. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2022.112094.
