Biomass Feedstocks for Energy=20 Markets

Task:	43
Start:	1/01/2010; =20 End: 31/12/2012
Web:
Countries:	Australia, Canada, Denmark, = Finland,=20 Germany, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, UK, = and=20 USA

Task Leadership

Leader
Dr = G=C3=B6ran=20 Berndes
Chalmers University of Technology
Department = of Energy=20 and Environment, Physical Resource Theory
SE-412 96 = G=C3=96TEBORG,=20
Sweden

Email: goran.berndes@chalmers.seTel:=20 +46 31 772 3148
Fax: +46 31 772 3150=20

Associate Task=20 Leader
Dr Tat Smith
Faculty of = Forestry
Faculty of=20 Forestry
University of Toronto
33 Willcocks = Street
Toronto,=20 Ontario M5S 3B3
Canada

Email: tat.smith@utoronto.ca
Tel:=20 +1 416 978 5480
Fax: +1 416 971 3077=20

Objectives

OBJECTIVE - To promote = sound=20 bioenergy development that is driven by well-informed decisions in = business, governments and elsewhere. This will be achieved by = providing to=20 relevant actors timely and topical analyses, syntheses and = conclusions on=20 all fields related to biomass feedstock, including biomass markets = and the=20 socioeconomic and environmental consequences of feedstock=20 production.

WORK SCOPE FOR THE NEW TASK PERIOD = (2010-2012)
The=20 Task covers all aspects of feedstock, its markets and = environmental as=20 well as socio-economic impacts. It has a global scope and includes = commercial, near-commercial and promising production systems in=20 agriculture and forestry. The primary focus is on land use and = bioenergy=20 feedstock production systems including their markets. The Task = will be=20 concerned with issues related to the linking of sustainable = biomass=20 feedstocks to energy markets, explicitly considering environmental = and=20 socioeconomic aspects. Systems analysis integrating several = disciplines=20 will be used to conduct analyses that allow evaluation of = alternatives=20 across sectors and explicit examination of issues related to = tradeoffs,=20 compatibility and synergies between food, fibre and energy = production=20 systems and related markets.

One central aim is to achieve = strong=20 outreach and impacts as a result of Task activities. The Task will = have a=20 strong international impact by producing and providing timely and=20 policy-relevant science and technology syntheses to targeted = audiences for=20 policy analysis and bioenergy market development.

WORK=20 PROGRAMME
- The work programme is organized to effectively meet = the=20 Task objectives, addressing the questions.
- How can we = further=20 develop and implement feedstock production systems to provide = attractive=20 solutions for energy security, climate change, and sustainable=20 development?
- How can policy and market based instruments = effectively=20 promote sustainable development, and how can science-based = sustainability=20 criteria and standards be formulated to take into account the vast = regional variation in conditions for production of different = feedstocks?=20
- What are costs and gains associated with productivity,=20 competitiveness and environmental performance of feedstock supply = systems=20 and how do they impact deployment and market penetration of the=20 systems?
- What are the motivations, opportunities and = capabilities for=20 producers in agriculture and forestry to change from conventional=20 production systems and deploy or integrate sustainable bioenergy=20 production systems in response to new demands? What are necessary = and=20 sufficient conditions for financial investment in developing = feedstock=20 production systems?

DELIVERABLES
Reports and other = deliverables=20 will be produced throughout the triennium, including = policy-relevant=20 reviews, case studies and science and technology briefs. All = extensive=20 reports will be complemented with executive summaries directed = towards=20 identified target groups that commonly represent a non-scientific=20 audience. The Task will also selectively target central = international=20 conferences to maximize outreach. The planning of deliverables = =E2=80=93 including=20 identification of target groups =E2=80=93 is proposed to take = place in dialogue=20 with the other Tasks and with ExCo and the Task expects to work = with the=20 IEA Bioenergy Secretariat in order to maximize = outreach.

MANAGEMENT=20
The Task Leader will work with the National Team Leaders to = strengthen=20 Task effectiveness and build international and regional capacity = essential=20 to have credibility in the various feedstock supply sectors, and, = at the=20 same time, capacity to deal credibly with crosscutting themes that = comprehensively cover whole bioenergy systems and transcend to = landscape,=20 regional, national and international scales. Recognizing the need = to=20 integrate feedstock supply with energy conversion and end-use, the = Task=20 will collaborate with other cross-cutting Tasks as well as = conversion=20 Tasks to ensure that analytical and conceptual linkages with = markets are=20 strong.

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