IEA Bioenergy Task 40: Deployment of biogenic value chains and carbon management, commonly abbreviated Task 40, was established under the International Energy Agency (IEA) Bioenergy Implementing Agreement in December 2003 with the aim of focusing on international bioenergy technology potential, barriers, and trade as well as its wider implications.
News and Highlights
Start of the new Triennium 2025-2027
The new triennium 2025-2027 has officially started, and we are excited to continue working together with Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, the USA, and – for the first time – Switzerland.
The Task has updated and expanded its name to Deployment of Biogenic Value Chains and Carbon Management, reflecting a broader focus on sustainable carbon solutions.
The new leadership team includes Christiane Hennig (DBFZ, Germany) as Task Lead, with Christian Bang and Sara Shapiro-Bengtsen (Ea Energy Analyses, Denmark) serving as Co-Leads.
The photo shows all members gathered at our Kick-off meeting, which took place in Stockholm on 9-10 April 2025. Stay tuned—more details coming soon!
Task 40 Newsletter December 2024
As 2024 comes to a close, we look back with pleasure on a successful year of exploring and evaluating bio-based value chains through important meetings and international collaborations. Looking ahead, we’re excited to announce a new name and leadership team for the 2025-2027 triennium, marking the next chapter in our journey toward a sustainable bioeconomy.
We’re grateful to have you with us on this journey! We invite you to enjoy this edition of our newsletter.
Wishing you a joyful holiday season and an inspiring New Year 2025!
IEA Bioenergy Annual Report 2023
Published May 2024, the IEA Bioenergy Annual Report 2023 includes a special feature article on ‘Emissions from Biomass Combustion’ prepared by Task 32.
Meetings Task 40
Task 40 had two successful and pleasant hybrid meetings in September 2023 at the University of Utrecht and in March 2024 in Washington DC, always combined with site visits (to the biomass and coal-fired power plant RWE Amer and to DC Water’s Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant). Read more here.
IEA Bioenergy News Volume 35(2) – December 2023
This issue covers the ExCo92 meeting and workshop held on 17-19 October 2023 in Lyon, France. It also features a Task Focus by Task 34, the Notice board, and recent publications and upcoming events.
We are in the second year of the 2022-2024 triennium, enthusiastically working on projects and preparing for our next physical meeting. We are involved in and/or leading 2 major projects with other IEA Bioenergy Tasks. There is also news of a successful Task 40 workshop on green hydrogen. Find all the details in Task 40 Newsletter June 2023.
Events
The Netherlands plays an active role within the IEA Bioenergy, contributing to 10 themes spread over four tasks. For the period 2025-2027, the programme focuses on four priority themes: sustainable biomass supply, biomass conversion technologies, markets and implementation, and system aspects. In cooperation with the Platform Bio-Economy (PBE), the Ministry of Climate and Green Growth (KGG) and the Rijksdienst Voor Ondernemend Nederland (RVO) are organising the first of a series of seminars on Wednesday 19 February 2025, this time at Utrecht University. Ric Hoefnagels, the Dutch NTL of Task 40 gave a presentation on Regionalization or commoditization? Supply chains and future markets
BBEST & IEA Bioenergy Conference 2024
At the BBEST – IEA Bioenergy Conference on October 2024, in São Paulo, Brazil, Task 40 was actively represented by three members who delivered insightful presentations covering a number of key topics: “Bioeconomy Synergies 2.0 – Biobased Value Chain Networks Enabling Multi-Sector Coupling” (Fabian Schipfer, TU Wien), “Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage or Utilization (BECCUS): From Innovation to Deployment” (Christiane Hennig, DBFZ), and “Mobilizing Feedstocks and Setting up Supply Chains” (Damon Hartley, INL). All presentations are now accessible on the Task 40 website.
Utilisation and storage of captured biogenic CO2 – Deployment in selected EU countries
A number of full-scale BECCUS projects have recently been initiated, with the majority of these projects being focused on CO2 storage. Just a few years ago, some of the actors involved in these same projects were more focused on potential utilisation of the captured CO2 rather than storage. This webinar attempts to shed light on the driving factors behind this shift, by focusing on recent BECCUS deployment in Sweden, the Netherlands and Denmark.
Exploring Flexibility from Renewable Hydrogen and Bioenergy in Energy Systems Modelling
Joint workshop between ETSAP, IEA Bioenergy TCP Task44 and the Intertask Project (ITP) Synergies on green hydrogen and the biobased value chain.
Concept: Hybrid workshop: Speakers and audience present in Torino and online.
The objective of this IEA Bioenergy, IEA ETSAP and IEA Hydrogen collaboration is to exchange modelling experiences and perspectives on the multi-faceted aspects of flexibility. The half-day workshop will set the scene for a discussion and the joint planning of a webinar with the aim of formulating a modelling agenda for flexibilisation impact assessment.
Latest publications
Task 40 Report
Bioeconomy Synergies (BioSyn) Initiative 2022-2024
Synergies for bioenergy supply chains in bioeconomy networks
The report develops the previously linear value chain perspective into a network-based approach for bioenergy and bioeconomy systems, focusing on key integration dynamics such as resource exchange, efficiency, and resilience. The results of workshops on supply chain risks and cases studies on innovative biorefinery technologies are presented in detail, offering valuable strategies to strengthen system stability. A scientific publication emphasizes the importance of the circular bioeconomy and its potential to address climate and societal challenges. The report is complemented by a proposal of a biomimicry-inspired assessment framework adapted to ecological modelling to assess the synergies of bioeconomy network synthesis.
Open access publication
Bioeconomy Synergies Project
The circular bioeconomy: a driver for system integration
What exactly did Aristotle mean by “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts?” Our latest article reveals the pertinence of this question for circular bieoconomy planning. This is another important result of our Task 40 Bioeconomy Synergies activity within the Task 40 work programme jointly with Task 44 over the past two years.
by Schipfer, F. et al
IEA Report
Inter-task project Deployment of BECCUS value chains
BECCUS and flexible bioenergy – finding the balance
In this system study, the two important technologies flexible bioenergy and BECCS (bioenergy with carbon capture and storage) are in focus. As the business models for the provision of flexible bioenergy and BECCS/U are of different nature, it has to be governed which role each of the technologies are going to play within the energy system and further within climate policy making. In particular, the implications of the interaction of both technologies should be considered and taken into account.
Report Work package 4
Inter-task project Assessment of successes and lessons learned for biofuels deployment
Sustainable biomass supply chains for international markets
The report presents case studies for feedstock supply chains that have been evaluated from multiple viewpoints as these are vital for successful development of advanced biofuels. It highlights lessons from biorefineries and pulp mills using short rotation wood fibre crops (Brazil), European experiences in development of bio-based supply chains for torrefied woody biomass, pioneer biorefineries in the US (traditional feedstock pre-processing for herbaceous feedstocks) and conceptual depots producing conversion-ready feedstock and co-products. Link to additional reports of the project.
Synthesis report IEA Bioenergy Task 40
Regional Transitions Project 1.0
“Regional transitions in existing bioenergy markets”
Results of a project in which IEA Bioenergy Task 40 experts explored strategies for developing sustainable bio-based value chains in a regional dynamic market context. The focus was on feedstock supply chains, a cornerstone for the development of sustainable and reliable bio-based value chains, and was organised into three activities.
Inter-task project Deployment of BECCUS value chains
Synthesis report “From concept to commercialization”
Over the duration of the 2019-2021 IEA Bioenergy triennium, a consortium of IEA Bioenergy Tasks – Task 36, Task 40, Task 44 and Task 45 – collaborated on an inter-task project called Deployment of BECCUS value chains, led by Task 40. All in all, eight publications have been produced as project outputs. This report includes a summary and a synthesis of these individual studies, as well as a discussion and an outlook into questions to be further explored in future research. More available here.
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.