IEA Bioenergy Task 38: Greenhouse Gas Balances of Biomass and Bioenergy Systems (Working Period 2004 - 2007)

Status

completed (january 2004 - january 2007)

Summary

Scientific/methodological objectives

• Develop, compare and make available, integrated computer models for assessing greenhouse gas (GHG) balances of bioenergy and carbon sequestration systems on the project, activity, and regional levels, and address scaling issues between these levels.
• Assess the life-cycle GHG balance of such systems, including leakage, additionality, and uncertainties. These analyses must integrate forest and agricultural sectors, bioenergy production and conversion, and carbon sequestration considerations. The work will include comparisons of bioenergy systems with "conventional" and other energy systems (e.g., fossil, nuclear, and renewable), as well as comparisons of wood products with products from other materials such as steel and concrete.
• Analyse the country-level, and regional potentials of bioenergy, forestation, and other biomass-based mitigation strategies, including implications for the atmospheric CO2 concentration.
• Identify and analyze the synergies between afforestation and other land-based activities for carbon sequestration and the enhanced use of bioenergy.
• In pursuit of the listed above, collaborate with other Tasks of IEA Bioenergy, for example, on conventional forestry, short-rotation forestry, techno-economic assessment, socio-economic aspects. The Task proposed here is cross-cutting in nature, and will rely heavily on exchange of information with these other Tasks

Objectives related to implementation

• Aid decision makers in developing policies and selecting appropriate mitigation strategies that optimise GHG benefits, e.g. how to maximise bioenergy production while maintaining carbons stocks at high levels, or how to allocate biomass to energy vs. uses as raw material. Consider cost/benefit analyses and the practicalities of different mitigation strategies.
• Assist in the implementation of land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF) articles of the Kyoto Protocol as they relate to bioenergy and carbon sequestration. This applies at the project, region, and country level. Specifically articles 3.3, 3.4, 3.7, 6 and possibly 12. Development of procedures, methods and models that enable participating countries in the Task to address issues covered by these articles.
• Contribute to the work of IPCC/OECD/IEA related to GHG inventories of systems involving carbon sequestration, wood products, bioenergy, baselines in LULUCF. Contribute to the achievement of goals stated in Kyoto Protocol Article 5.1 through development of procedures, methods and models, that enable countries to develop national- and project-scale systems for estimating GHG sources and sinks related to LULUCF and biomass energy.
• Contribute to the development of international standards for GHG accounting and verification in the LULUCF sectors.
• Help elaborate a GHG accounting framework for bioenergy projects and carbon sequestration projects in a "joint implementation" or "CDM" setting. This includes baselines, leakage, uncertainty, and requires consideration of both reduction in fossil fuel emission and changes in terrestrial carbon stocks.
• Develop, compare and make available, integrated computer models for assessing greenhouse gas (GHG) balances of bioenergy and carbon sequestration systems on the project, activity, and regional levels, and address scaling issues between these levels.
• Assess the life cycle GHG balance of such systems, including leakage, additionality, and uncertainties. Make comparisons of bioenergy systems with e.g. fossil energy systems, as well as comparisons of wood products with products from other materials such as steel and concrete.
• Aid decision makers in selecting mitigation strategies that optimise GHG benefits, e.g. maximising bioenergy pro¬duction while maintaining carbons stocks at high levels, or allocating biomass to energy vs. uses as raw material. In doing so, consider costs and benefits, as well as the practicalities of different mitigation strategies.
• Assist in the implementation of forestry, land-use and bioenergy options through methodological work and development of standards.

IEA Task 38 Website

Dr. Bernhard Schlamadinger (Taskleader)
Joanneum Research
Elisabethstrasse 5
A-8010 GRAZ
AUSTRIA
Tel.: +43 316 876 1340
Fax: +43 316 876 1320
E-Mail: bernhard.schlamadinger@joanneum.at

Mag. Susanne Woess-Gallasch (National Team Leader for Austria)
Joanneum Research
Elisabethstrasse 5
A-8010 GRAZ
AUSTRIA
Tel: +43 316 876 1330
Fax: +43 316 876 1320
E-Mail: susanne.woess@joanneum.at

• Austria
• Australia
• Canada
• Danmark
• Finland
• Ireland
• Croatia
• Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Norway
• Sweden
• USA