Biofuels can clearly play an important role in the future energy mix. Many models that point the way to a world energy mix which can reduce the worst impacts of climate change rely heavily on biofuels. The market for biofuels has been growing strongly, driven by governments who have seen biofuels as an important contributor to their attempts to mitigate climate change and to ensure energy security. However, growing concerns about the sustainability of biofuels are leading to a reappraisal of the potential role of biofuels. It is important that this reappraisal is evidence based, rather than on myth and generalisation. It is clear that some routes to the production of biofuels can be unsustainable, but equally clear that other routes can lead to environmental, economic, and social benefits.
This publication provides the summary and conclusions from the workshop ‘Biofuels for Transport – Part of a Sustainable Future?’, held in conjunction with the meeting of the Executive Committee of IEA Bioenergy in Oslo, Norway on 14 May 2008. The workshop was a joint event with Nordic Energy Research.
The purpose of the workshop was to inform the Executive Committee about recent results and trends in the rapidly evolving international biofuel sustainability debate. The goal was to stimulate discussion between the Executive Committee and experts working outside the Agreement which could subsequently inform additional policy-oriented work and influence the further development of IEA Bioenergy in the short and longer term.

By: IEA Bioenergy

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