Advanced Bioenergy

Advanced Bioenergy in Europe

This page offers general information on advanced bioenergy in Europe, with links to more detailed information on the ETIP Bioenergy website and other information sources.

What is advanced bioenergy?

Advanced bioenergy is produced from lignocellulosic feedstocks (i.e. agricultural and forestry residues, e.g. wheat straw/corn stover/bagasse, wood based biomass), non-food crops (i.e. grasses, miscanthus, algae), or industrial waste and residue streams, has low CO2 emission or high GHG reduction, and reaches zero or low ILUC impact.

Definitions

The following definitions are taken from RED-II (renewable energy directive):

(32) ‘bioliquids’ means liquid fuel for energy purposes other than for transport, including electricity and heating and cooling, produced from biomass;

(33) ‘biofuels’ means liquid fuel for transport produced from biomass;

(34) ‘advanced biofuels’ means biofuels that are produced from the feedstock listed in Part A of Annex IX;

(35) ‘recycled carbon fuels’ means liquid and gaseous fuels that are produced from liquid or solid waste streams of non-renewable origin which are not suitable for material recovery in accordance with Article 4 of Directive 2008/98/EC, or from waste processing gas and exhaust gas of non-renewable origin which are produced as an unavoidable and unintentional consequence of the production process in industrial installations;

(36) ‘renewable liquid and gaseous transport fuels of non-biological origin’ means liquid or gaseous fuels which are used in the transport sector other than biofuels or biogas, the energy content of which is derived from renewable sources other than biomass;

Advanced renewable transport fuels include advanced biofuels (see RED-II definition 34), recycled carbon fuels (35) and renewable liquid and gaseous transport fuels of non-biological origin (36). Of these, advanced biofuels are the most important.

Intermediate bioenergy carriers for electricity, heating and cooling include pretreated biomass, such as torrefied pellets, or bio-oil.

The term advanced bioenergy is usually used for advanced renewable transport fuels and for intermediate bioenergy carriers for electricity, heating and cooling.

Two different markets are supported by advanced bioenergy products: on the one hand the transport market (biofuels, 33) and on the other hand the EHC (electricity, heating and cooling) market (bioliquids, 32).

Which advanced bioenergy products are there and how much is consumed?

The products of advanced bioenergy are divided in products for the transport market and in products for the EHC market.

Transport fuel market products

Biofuels

  • Drop-in liquid hydrocarbons
  • Low-blend in gasoline
  • Low-blend in diesel
  • Compressed bio-methane
  • Liquefied bio-methane
  • Niche fuels
  • Additives

Electricity, heating and cooling market products

Bioliquids used as fuels

  • Pyrolysis oils
  • Tall oil and tall oil pitch
  • Straight vegetable oils

Intermediate bioenergy carriers and residues

  • Densified biomass (pellets, briquettes)
  • Black and torrefied pellets
  • Lignin powders, etc.
  • Upgraded biogas for grid injection
  • Biogas (used as fuel)
    • AD biogas (no upgrading)
    • Gasification product gases
      • Low, medium and high calorific value (CV) gas
  • Agricultural and agroindustry residues
  • Forestry and forest industry residues

Waste-derived fuels with a high biogenic fraction

  • Refuse derived fuel (RDF)
  • Solid recovered fuel (SRF)

According to the EurObserv’ER the primary bioenergy consumption of the EU28 in 2017 increased to 99.8 Mtoe (i.e. 1,160.67 TWh) and the biofuels consumption reached 15.5 Mtoe (i.e. 180.27TWh). With respect to advanced bioenergy consumption, we are not aware of any database or status report for the use of advanced bioenergy for electricity, heating and cooling production. Data for advanced biofuels for the transport sector is available as described below.

In its report “Status of Advanced Biofuels Demonstration Facilities in 2012”, IEA Bioenergy Task 39 lists 71 advanced biofuels production facilities worldwide, with a cumulative production capacity of 2,530,000 tons per year in 2012. Of all technologies for the production of advanced biofuels, hydrotreatment of vegetable oils has developed most rapidly and has contributed 2,190,000 tons per year to the worldwide biofuels production (representing ~2,4 % of the total worldwide biofuels production).

Information on European projects is available in the production facilities section of the ETIP Bioenergy website. Worldwide mapping is done by IEA Bioenergy Task 39 in its online database on advanced biofuels production facilities.

In 2011, the Advanced Biofuels Tracking Database listed 130 advanced biofuels production facilities, with a combined annual production capacity of ~700 million gallons in 2011, the largest part of which is HVO (572 million gallons in 2011).

The target of RED-II for advanced biofuels is to provide 3.5% of transport energy by 2030, multiple counting included.

What are the benefits of advanced bioenergy?

Advanced bioenergy supports Europe’s climate and energy goals by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening energy security, and offering a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels. It can create new jobs, drive rural development, and boost the bioeconomy.

In hard-to-decarbonise sectors like aviation and shipping, advanced biofuels are among the only near-term renewable alternatives. They are compatible with existing infrastructure and, thanks to the use of non-food feedstocks, avoid food-vs-fuel conflicts.

Learn more in this IEA Bioenergy report: Survey on Advanced Fuels for Advanced Engines”, published by IEA Bioenergy Task 39 and AMF TCP.

Which different types of advanced bioenergy are there?

Advanced bioenergy includes a wide range of technologies and fuels, such as:

Which feedstocks are used for advanced bioenergy in Europe?

Advanced bioenergy uses sustainable, non-food biomass such as:

  • Agricultural and forestry residues
  • Biowaste and industrial by-products
  • Energy crops grown on marginal land
  • Algae, manure, straw, and other listed feedstocks under RED II Annex IX

Is advanced bioenergy sustainable?

Yes—when produced responsibly. Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) show that advanced bioenergy pathways can significantly reduce GHG emissions. However, sustainability depends on feedstock choices, land use, and competing resource demands. Indirect land use change (iLUC) and other impacts are discussed further on our s sustainability page.

How is ETIP Bioenergy supporting the commercialization of advanced bioenergy?

The European Technology and Innovation Platform (ETIP) Bioenergy brings together stakeholders from academia, industry and civil society involved in the development of research and innovation strategies for energy technologies, who interact with relevant public authorities of the EU Member States as well as the European Commission.

The ETIP Bioenergy combines the efforts of the European Biofuels Technology Platform (EBTP), which started in 2006, and the European Industrial Bioenergy Initiative (EIBI), which commenced in 2010.

The aim, defined in the Terms of References, is to come to a coordinated, coherent and efficient implementation of the objectives of the Energy Union including the 2030 Framework scenario and the 2050 Roadmap for a secure, affordable, competitive and efficient energy system.

The mission of ETIP Bioenergy is to contribute to the development of cost-competitive, innovative world-class bioenergy, biofuels and other renewable liquid and gaseous fuel value chains including renewable electrofuels, to the creation and strengthening of a healthy European bioenergy industry and to accelerate the sustainable deployment of bioenergy and renewable fuels in the European Union through a process of guidance , prioritization and promotion of research, technological development and demonstration.

A wide range of Horizon2020 projects made a significant contribution to the development of advanced biofuels technology in Europe. Links and details are included on the research funding page of the ETIP website. The EU research and innovation programme “Horizon Europe – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation” covers funding from 2021 – 2027.