6.1 Introduction

Bioenergy plays a key role in the energy transition compatible with meeting the 1.5°C climate goal (IRENA, 2021a). Direct use of biomass is important in end-use sector decarbonisation, while bioenergy coupled with CCS can produce negative emissions (see Chapter 1). The increased use of biomass to replace fossil fuels both as energy sources and as feedstocks for chemicals and other materials is also essential to IRENA’s 1.5°C Scenario. The modern and efficient use of biomass to produce energy has risen in recent years. But use will need to accelerate more rapidly if the levels of bioenergy in IRENA’s 1.5°C Scenario are to be achieved. Such an acceleration faces several challenges, including the higher cost of many bioenergy options compared with fossil fuels, the sustainability and availability of bioenergy feedstocks, the need for some new advanced technologies, and the establishment of extensive biomass supply chains, including those involving international trade in biomass commodities.

While bioenergy plays a crucial role in climate change mitigation, there are also complex interactions in climate change adaptation, impacts and vulnerability. As the IPCC has pointed out, poorly implemented bioenergy can compound climate-related risks to biodiversity, water and food security, and livelihoods (IPCC, 2022a). At the same time, climate change itself can threaten the viability of energy crops or bioenergy plantations. A delicate balance will have to be found through an enabling policy framework delivering the necessary growth while minimising harmful environmental or socioeconomic impacts.

This chapter explores in detail how bioenergy currently contributes to energy demand and can help to reduce GHG emissions in IRENA’s 1.5°C Scenario. It shows how the volumes of sustainable biomass feedstocks would need to expand and then considers the main challenges in scaling up use of biomass in key applications, including policy uncertainty, cost competitiveness, market access and technology readiness, and the policy options to overcome these. The chapter also considers the likely availability of sustainably sourced biomass feedstocks and issues relating to the sustainability of bioenergy and the wider bioeconomy.