Expectations on flexible bioenergy in different countries
To unlock the enormous potential of flexible bioenergy’s contribution to the transformation of the energy system, favourable policy conditions are necessary. In a new report by Task 44 (Flexible Bioenergy and System Integration) the authors address that economically feasible integration of the technologies in the overall energy system is a major hurdle and coherent policy support to integrate flexible bioenergy in the energy system is considered as essential. This are additional conclusions, following a 2021 report where we were able to show that technological barriers are not seen as a major challenge.
The report “Expectations on flexible bioenergy in different countries” is the second report in series of two, following the 2024 report on “Implementation of flexible bioenergy in different countries”. The new report provides further insights in the ambitions concerning the energy system transformation and the possible contribution of flexible bioenergy to accelerate this transformation. Therefore, national experts from 14 different countries and the European Commission have been asked about the national goals on flexible bioenergy and their expectations on supportive measures and instruments, as well as the potential synergies with national hydrogen strategies.
Download the full report: “Expectations on flexible bioenergy in different countries”
The survey explored the role of policies in advancing flexible bioenergy, focusing on national and international frameworks, synergies, and contradictions. Respondents agreed that both national regulations and international strategies, such as EU-wide targets, are critical, with countries like Austria and Canada highlighting the benefits of policy alignment and financial incentives. However, challenges such as regulatory barriers in Germany and public resistance in the Netherlands demonstrate that contradictions between policies can hinder progress. While some countries, such as Denmark and Sweden, recognize the importance of flexibility in their energy strategies, explicit references to flexible bioenergy remain limited in most policy documents.
Flexible bioenergy is identified as a key contributor to energy security, particularly in supporting the transition from fossil-based to renewable energy systems. E.g., countries like Denmark and Austria emphasize its role in buffering uncertainties and maintaining electricity supply amidst increasing reliance on variable renewable energy (VRE). Bioenergy is also expected as a key factor for decarbonizing hard-to-abate sectors, with Canada, the UK, and others highlighting its importance for industrial heat, heavy transport, and the integration with carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies (Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage, BECCS). Despite its potential, flexible bioenergy is inconsistently addressed in national strategies, often overshadowed by broader renewable energy targets or limited by biomass resource availability. Overall, international cooperation and clear policy frameworks are necessary to unlock bioenergy’s flexibility benefits at scale.
Synergies between flexible bioenergy and green hydrogen are expected in many ways: Value chains, improving technical performance as well as new business models are seen as top areas for the strongest synergies. Also, better greenhouse gas balances are mentioned, which are an important issue when reaching net zero energy systems over the next 10 to 25 years.
Figure 6: Strength of different drivers for flexible bioenergy implementation during 202-2022 in different countries. Large bubbles represent strong drivers, small bubbles are weak drivers. Brazil not included.
