Sustainable bioenergy from agriculture
Sustainable bioenergy can be produced from biomass resources in multi-functional, integrated agriculture, forestry, fisheries and aquaculture systems, along with food, feed and/or bio-based products, from biogenic waste and residue streams, or as a co-product
of ecosystem management.
Biomass and its bioenergy derivatives are versatile, storable and dispatchable. They can replace fossil energy and complement variable renewables and other low-carbon options in transport, power and heat production, industrial
processes and clean cooking, thereby enhancing resilience in the energy system.
Sustainable bioenergy plays a unique role in just and inclusive energy transitions and is especially important for sectors and regions where other decarbonization
options are costly or not yet available. Sustainable bioenergy can contribute to energy security, clean energy access, rural development, increased agricultural productivity, improved farmer incomes, job creation, gender equality, responsible industrial
development, poverty eradication, and climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies.
FAO explores opportunities to derive sustainable bioenergy from organic matter and residues generated along agrifood systems, such as manure and crop residues, as a renewable alternative to fossil fuels. FAO also delves into the possibilities of deriving biomass from plants for phytoremediation, residues from forest management, and waste from food processing and municipalities.
Recognizing the complexity of bioenergy development, sustainability assessments, and regular monitoring of any renewable energy/bioenergy value chain are pivotal.
For this reason, FAO has developed methodologies to evaluate the sustainability of modern bioenergy systems: the ex-ant e Bioenergy and Food Security Approach (BEFS) assessing potentials, and an ex-post approach assessing existing bioenergy systems through the Global Bioenergy Partnership Sustainability Indicators for Bioenergy (GSIs). Through these methodologies, FAO supports countries in designing and implementing sustainable bioenergy policies and strategies, aiming to foster both food and energy security, and contribute to agricultural and rural development in a climate-smart way.
The Bioenergy and Food Security (BEFS) Approach supports countries in designing and implementing sustainable bioenergy policies and strategies tailored to the specific country context and needs. A core element of the BEFS Approach is the BEFS Assessment, which is country driven through multistakeholder dialogue and guidance. It includes the use of a set of easily applicable methodologies and tools which allow countries to estimate their sustainable bioenergy potential, based on feedstock availability and characteristics of a specific local/national context. The analysis also includes the technoeconomic assessment of the potential technological pathways for the utilization of the available feedstock, including options for intermediate or final products, heating and cooking solutions, rural electrification, heat and power, and transport.
GBEP, a global initiative focusing on advancing knowledge on modern bioenergy, coordinated by FAO acting as both secretariat and partner, has developed the most widely recognized set of 24 voluntary indicators to monitor the sustainability of all forms of bioenergy. They can be applied to any bioenergy value chain to inform decision making and facilitate the sustainable development of bioenergy. The indicators take a holistic approach to assessing the key aspects of the intersection of bioenergy and sustainability, considering the environmental, social, and economic impacts. The GBEP indicators have been implemented in more than 15 countries to monitor and improve their bioenergy value chains.
Using the GBEP indicators as a reference. FAO has developed an Integrated Food-Energy System (IFES) aimed to facilitate diversified agricultural production farming systems that incorporates agro-biodiversity and builds on the principles of sustainable production intensification. IFES can be small-scale operations managed at village/household level or large-scale operations designed for commercial activities. IFES can optimize land use through a combination of food and energy crops and/or optimize biomass use through its a cascading sequence to produce both food and energy. Depending on the circumstances, the generation of solar, thermal, geothermal, wind and/or hydro energy can be an integral part of the system.
FAO has developed an analytical framework to assess the sustainability and the possibility to replicate the IFES.
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News
What fuels the stove, fires the change: our blog post on clean cooking
21/08/2025
Energy-Smart Agrifood Systems: Fuelling resilience with clean energy
04/08/2025
This article was originally published in Italian in ENEA’s magazine Energia Ambiente e Innovazione. The English version is shared here with permission, to highlight the importance of energy-smart agrifood systems in addressing the interconnected challenges of climate change, food security and sustainable development.
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Publications
Bioethanol for clean cooking - An analysis of its role in energy transition in Africa
25/08/2025
This study provides insights on the potential of bioethanol for clean cooking in various African countries, highlighting key enabling factors and barriers, and areas for further research. It draws on literature reviews, policy analysis, case studies, and stakeholder consultations in Rwanda and Uganda. The findings aim to support governments and policymakers to evaluate the suitability and sustainability of bioethanol and other clean cooking options.
Green recovery in agrifood chains through sustainable energy interventions
25/02/2025
This report delves into the potential of renewable energy interventions within the agrifood value chains of Zambia, with a specific focus on cereals, dairy, horticulture, tobacco, fisheries, and roots and tubers.
Feasibility assessment of biogas potential in the Solomon Islands
17/12/2024
A joint study by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) assessed the feasibility of biogas technology in the Solomon Islands, identifying opportunities to transform organic waste into energy
Feasibility assessment for biogas potential development in The Gambia
15/10/2024
The SCALA programme, through its Private Sector Engagement Facility, collaborated with the Government of The Gambia on a feasibility assessment for potential biogas development. This study evaluates the potential of biogas technology in The Gambia.
Energy Challenge Badge: Bioenergy supplement
01/08/2024
This booklet is a supplement to the YUNGA Energy Challenge Badge. It aims to teach youth about the importance of bioenergy, its main sources, impacts and production processes, exploring connections between bioenergy, sustainability and development. The booklet also contains practical activities to be implemented in learning contexts.
Hazelnut sector in Azerbaijan - Options for green energy interventions along the value chain
31/12/2023
Azerbaijan’s agriculture sector is vital to the economy and hazelnuts represent a valuable product.The report aims to evaluate the potential to produce sustainable bioenergy from the residues generated along the hazelnut value chain in Azerbaijan. A techno-economic assessment of the possible bioenergy pathways considered viable in the country’s context was conducted.
Renewable energy interventions in the wheat landscape in Uzbekistan
31/10/2023
This report is part of the technical analysis that informs the GEFs project preparation grant application (PPG) under the GEFs food system, land use and restoration (FOLUR) impact programme. The focus of the analysis is on three regions of Uzbekistan.
Sustainable bioenergy potential from crop, livestock and woody residues in Rwanda: An integrated bioenergy and food security approach
20/09/2023
Rwanda is working on identifying sustainable energy solutions to ensure access to energy. Bioenergy is one possible form of renewable energy that countries are looking at to supply part of their energy portfolio. Rwanda currently relies on traditional biomass for energy supply, and shifting away from traditional biomass use would lower its dependency on traditional biomass and improve access to modern sustainable energy forms.
Establishing residue supply chains to reduce open burning – The case of rice straw and renewable energy in Punjab, India
03/06/2022
This report presents a model crop residue value chain that can support the collection, transport, storage of rice straw which can enable productive uses of rice straw. Moreover, it estimates the quantity of rice straw produced in each district in Punjab.
Bioenergy and food security (BEFS) assessment – Seychelles
03/06/2022
This Sustainable Bioenergy Assessment report for Seychelles looks at the potential for sustainable bioenergy within the country, considering the country context, conditions and delicate habitat. The report considers sustainable biomass sources from the agrifood sector and from the biodegradable portion of waste.