A General Introduction to International Bioenergy Trade

Abstract

The development of functional international markets for bioenergy has become an essential driver to develop bioenergy potentials, which are currently under-utilised in many regions of the world. Technical potential of bioenergy may be as large as 500 EJ/yr by 2050. However, large uncertainty exists about important factors such as market and policy conditions that affect this potential. Potential deployment levels by 2050 could lay in the range of 100–300 EJ/yr. Realizing this potential represents a major challenge but would substantially contribute to the world’s primary energy demand in 2050. The possibilities to export biomassderived commodities for the world’s energy market can create important socioeconomic development incentives for rural communities. But bioenergy markets are still immature, relying on policy objectives and incentives, that prove to be erratic in many cases. Further improvement is needed to develop both supply and demand in a balanced way and avoid distortions and instability that can threaten investments. Furthermore, it is necessary to develop and exploit biomass resources in a sustainable way and to understand what this means in different settings. In some markets, prices of biomass resources are volatile, including indirect effects on price of raw material prices for e.g. the forest industry as well as on food. Sustainability demands serve as a starting point for policies supporting bioenergy in many countries. The proliferation of initiatives registered worldwide to develop and implement sustainability frameworks and certifi cation systems for bioenergy, can lead to a fragmentation of efforts. This asks for harmonization and for international collaboration.