Prospects for Bioenergy

Abstract

The prospects for bioenergy in the future energy mix are open to much debate. The potential synergies to be drawn with materials markets, agricultural practice reform and a broad range of policy promotion mechanisms tackling climate change, and energy security all have substantial influence on the sector. Furthermore, the identification of the best options for biomass to energy conversion is complex to ascertain owing to the broad range of potential indicators in assessing the impact and benefits of any application and the geographical specificities of any possible solutions, as well as the potential improvements in key metrics as capacity expands. This work assesses the current approaches of bioenergy systems assessment in identifying those pathways which represent potentially optimal applications with regard to climatic and energy security benefits. Substantial potential for lignocellulosic biomass pathways is identified with a particular focus on the development of bioethanol for substitution of gasoline in road vehicles and the use of biorefineries to ensure maximum utilization of biomass. The potentials for whole-system analyses are highlighted.