Task 43 Biomass Supply in Sustainable and Circular Economies’ Post

🌍 Improved assessment of indirect land-use change 🌍 Land use change and indirect land use change are incredibly important to understand in the context of sustainable biomass supply. This report provides a comprehensive analysis of how increased biofuel production—particularly corn ethanol in the U.S.—affects food markets and land-use change. The report presents a framework to trace how biofuel production impacts crop and land markets, comparing two main narratives: Trade & Market Response:  This narrative suggests that higher U.S. corn use for ethanol leads to price hikes, reduced exports, and deforestation in countries like Brazil. While the alternative view argues that U.S. agricultural systems adapt flexibly, mitigating adverse impacts on global food and land markets. Findings: The report proposes expanding research scope and improving methodologies to better assess indirect land-use changes and their broader impacts. The full report is available at the IEA Bioenergy TCP Task on Sustainable Biomass Supply page:

🌍 Unlocking the Secrets of what makes good Biomass for Bioenergy 🌍 🔍 Research Highlights: • Moisture Content Reigns Supreme as the most frequently measured attribute across various studies, highlighting its crucial role in biomass fro bioenergy quality. • Ash Content & Calorific Value were important, though less frequently cited compared to moisture. • Bulk density, contamination, particle shape, and nutrient content were mentioned less often but are still relevant. 🔬 Future Directions: • Advanced Measurement Techniques that consider incorporating NIR spectroscopy, X-ray, and other advanced methods for more accurate and efficient measurements. • Broader Applications that extend research to assess biomass quality for biofuels and bioproducts beyond traditional heat and power applications. Join our team in IEA Bioenergy sustainable biomass supply task as we work to drive the future of sustainable bioenergy with better insights and innovative approaches! 🌱💡

🌲 Unlocking the Potential of Forest Biomass: A Pathway to Canada’s Low-Carbon Future 🌲 Some insightful work on advancing bioenergy through forest biohubs in Canada. As climate change becomes an urgent global issue, transitioning to a low-carbon economy is more critical than ever. 🌍 Key Highlights: 🔹 Bioenergy as a Solution: With Canada's forest sector contributing significantly to our GDP and employment, forest biomass emerges as a key player in meeting climate goals. 🔹 Bio-Hub Model: We’ve developed a framework to establish bio-hubs—centralized facilities that enhance the accessibility and value of forest biomass. These hubs will play a crucial role in producing and processing bioenergy products. 🔹 Techno-Economic Assessment (TEA): Our study includes a detailed assessment of biomass availability across three Canadian regions and the development of CANBIO-HUB—a tool for evaluating the economic viability of bio-hubs. 🔹 Case Studies: We examined real-world applications, such as willow plantations in Alberta and forest biomass use scenarios in Ontario, to provide practical insights into the cost and benefits of bioenergy production. Our report underscores the importance of integrating innovative practices to reposition the forest industry and support a sustainable bioeconomy. The CANBIO-HUB tool offers a user-friendly interface for stakeholders to assess various bioenergy scenarios and optimize bio-hub operations. A big thank you to everyone involved in this pioneering research. Together, we can drive forward Canada’s transition to a greener, low-carbon future! 🌱💡 Checkout the full report at the link

🌲🔥 Enhancing Wildfire Resilience through Biomass Management! 🔥🌲 We are excited to share our latest report, "Wildfire Resilience and Biomass Supply,"! This review delves into innovative strategies for improving wildfire resilience and optimizing biomass supply chains. Key highlights include: - Advanced Biomass Management Techniques: Explore how effective biomass management can mitigate wildfire risks and enhance ecosystem health. - Resilience Building Strategies: Discover actionable insights and best practices to bolster resilience in fire-prone areas. - Valuable perspectives from real-world case studies. #WildfireResilience #BiomassManagement #Sustainability #ClimateAction #EnvironmentalManagement #Research #Task43 👉 Check out the full report here:

As our friends in North America deal with another terrible fire season, I will just draw you attention to a great workshop the IEA Bioenergy Task on Biomass Supply ran in Quebec after the catastrophic 2023 fire season with some opportunities between sustainable biomass supply and fire risk management Main highlights: * Governments needs to increase efforts on wildfire resilience and sustainable biomass utilization. A holistic approach to fire management is imperative for countries, including those historically unaffected by wildfires. Thus, sustained dialogue is crucial for mitigating wildfire impacts and advancing sustainable biomass practices. * It is crucial to consider the costs of inaction versus adaptation. The capacity to manage landscapes in the face of wildfires and the annual funding allocated to those activities are limited, thus strategies need to be harmonized with other objectives, such as forest product manufacturing and community protection. Furthermore, addressing wildfire impacts involves considerations beyond wood supply, encompassing aspects related to wildlife, carbon sequestration, and other ecological factors. The development of regional strategies is critical to effectively manage the multifaceted challenges posed by the increasing wildfire activity. * Future research should continue to explore strategies to facilitate biomass recovery from wildfire prevention and salvage activities, including optimizing the quality and inherent characteristics of the recovered biomass. This activity can, in turn, increase bioproducts and bioenergy generation. * Sustainable forest management, incorporating fuel management and biomass removal for bioenergy, offers a mutually beneficial solution, particularly for communities susceptible to both fire risk and energy insecurity. * Enhancing forest landscapes and industrial structures’ resilience is crucial, for instance, by introducing fire-resistant species. Fire salvage harvesting is also vital, governed by factors such as tree species, plantation age, fire intensity, and regulatory requirements. * Effective strategies for recovering affected trees and reaching markets can lead to success but necessitate efficient coordination across the supply chain. The use of standardized, georeferenced data on the harvesting history of forest stands and burn pattern classification for recovered wood is also important. * Governments could facilitate cost-sharing opportunities between bioenergy production and wildfire fuel management. Additionally, it is crucial to promote leadership while enhancing community-level benefits, such as job creation and revenue generation.