Objectives

The IEA Bioenergy Task40 project focuses on the role of infrastructures and markets in ensuring the sustainable, affordable, and reliable supply of biomass. Over time, its emphasis shifted from international bioenergy trade to integrated supply networks within the context of the circular bioeconomy. Central questions include: How can supply structures for food, materials, bioenergy, and other renewable energies be planned in a coordinated way? And what added value does such system integration bring in terms of efficiency, resilience, and sustainability?

Scope

To support the strategic realignment of the Task, the Austrian delegation launched the BioSyn Initiative. The goal was to identify synergies between bioenergy, ecosystem services, and bio-based value chains, analyze the impacts of integration, and quantify synergy effects. The initiative combined systemic and process-oriented approaches, supported by interdisciplinary workshops, case studies, and publications. Key focuses included developing evaluation frameworks for integration dynamics and analyzing innovative technologies such as biorefineries and flexible biomass resource networks. International collaborations with other IEA Tasks and Horizon Europe projects formed the foundation for this comprehensive approach.

Results

The BioSyn Initiative demonstrated that system integration not only improves efficiency and enables new resource flows but also enhances the reliability and resilience of supply structures. Beyond technical advantages, integration also generates societal benefits, such as participatory structures and the development of regional networks. However, the initiative also highlighted risks, such as cascading failures, that can arise in integrated systems. The findings emphasize that technical, social, and organizational innovations are essential for creating flexible and sustainable value networks.

Outlook

To manage the complex interactions of integrated bioeconomy systems, fostering experts in integration impact assessment is crucial. National and international strategies should aim to maximize the resilience and synergies of bio-based systems. Building expertise and robust evaluation frameworks is key to unlocking the full potential of the bioeconomy, delivering societal and technological value, and ensuring sustainable development.

Austria, Denmark, Netherlands, United States, Germany, Sweden

Project leader

Dr. Fabian Schipfer, Prof. Michael Harasek
Technische Universität Wien, Institut für Verfahrenstechnik, Umwelttechnik und Technische Biowissenschaften
E-Mail: fabian.schipfer@tuwien.ac.at

Project partners

Mag. Judith Buchmaier, Dr. Bettina Muster Slawitsch
AEE INTEC- Institut für Nachhaltige Technologien
E-Mail: j.buchmaier@aee.at, b.muster@aee.at

Mag. Michael Wild
Wild und Partner KG
michael@wild.or.at