What is IEA Bioenergy?

IEA Bioenergy is an organisation set up in 1978 by the International Energy Agency (IEA) with the aim of improving cooperation and information exchange between countries that have national programmes in bioenergy research, development and deployment.

The International Energy Agency was founded in 1974 as an autonomous body within the OECD to implement an international energy programme in response to the oil shocks. Membership consists of 25 of the 29 OECD member countries. Activities are directed towards the IEA member countries' collective energy policy objectives of energy security, economic and social development, and environmental protection. One important activity undertaken in pursuit of these goals is a programme to facilitate co-operation to develop new and improved energy technologies.

Activities are set up under Implementing Agreements. These are independent bodies operating in a framework provided by the IEA. There are 40 currently active Implementing Agreements, one of which is IEA Bioenergy.

Bioenergy resources such as forestry and agriculture crops, biomass residues and wastes already provide about 14% of the world's primary energy supplies.

Bioenergy offers cost-effective and sustainable opportunities with the potential to meet 50% of world energy demands during the next century and at the same time meet the requirement of reducing carbon emissions from fossil fuels.

Progress in energy technology is critical to achieving the objectives of energy security, environmental protection and economic and social development. International collaboration is needed to prepare any practical response to global environmental issues. Energy technology innovation is occurring in an inter-connected world in which national efforts to adapt to change no longer suffice. National energy R&D and demonstration programmes gain impact when incorporated into the larger context of international interdependence.

IEA Bioenergy offers opportunities to coordinate the work of national programmes across the wide range of bioenergy technologies.

IEA Bioenergy provides an umbrella organisation and structure for a collective effort where national experts from research, government and industry work together with experts from other member countries. Resources are provided in two main ways:

• Cost Sharing - participants contribute to a common fund for conducting research projects and information exchange.
• Task Sharing - participants devote specified resources and personnel to conduct an agreed work programme.

The collaboration offers many benefits at both the policy and technical level including the ability to:

• Strengthen national R&D capabilities.
• Share research costs.
• Pool technical resources.
• Avoid duplication and unproductive research paths.
• Network researchers.
• Standardise methodologies.
• Harmonise technical standards.
• Enhance the quality of R&D outputs.
• Disseminate information on technology capabilities.
• Accelerate the deployment of new technologies.
• Build a common understanding of the technical basis for issues.
• Investigate barriers to implementation.
• Contribute to energy policy development.

Researchers, policy-makers and industry can all capitalise on these benefits.

IEA Bioenergy provides opportunities for:

• Researchers - to exchange information on recent developments in R&D through networking, meetings and/or workshops; to provide opportunities for collaborative R&D.
• Industry - to be informed of new projects; to work together to develop handbooks or models; to offer early participation of industrial partners in RD&D work.
• Policy-makers and decision-makers - to gain an international perspective on progress in bioenergy; to compile guidelines and standards; to gain new perspectives on deployment opportunities and issues.

Twentyone  countries plus the European Commission participate in IEA Bioenergy.