SYSTEMS

Bioenergy is the most common renewable energy worldwide making up about 70% or all primary renewable energy supply. In the transition to a low-carbon future, bioenergy will play an important role. However, this transition could take many forms, and it is essential to understand what particular bioenergy pathways could look like and how they interact with the wider energy system and other sectors.

It is imperative to understand the sustainability implications of the most appropriate pathways, at deployment scales that maximise the benefits of bioenergy in addressing the energy trilemma of environmental sustainability, energy security and energy quality.

Systems research will look at:

• Maximising benefits and mitigating negative impacts of bioenergy
• Trade-offs and synergies of bioenergy for addressing the energy trilemma
• Implications of bioenergy for the UK’s policy objectives
• Wider sustainability impacts of the UK’s bioenergy sector
• The role and impact of bioenergy on the current and future energy system and interfacing sectors
• Impact of the UK’s policies on the development and deployment of bioenergy
• Assessing existing models and accounting frameworks
• The work of the Systems Topic Group will be informed by a number of case studies that will evaluate the role and impact of selected bioenergy pathways at appropriate deployment scales on the energy system and interfacing sectors.