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.
FAO champions sustainable bioenergy innovation at IRENA Innovation Week 2025
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Publications
BEFS assessment for Egypt: sustainable bioenergy options from crop and livestock residues
10/02/2017
This report was developed under the FAO EBRD project on bioenergy with the aim is to support decision-making related to bioenergy investment in countries of operations of the EBRD. Egypt, a country of operation, has a large agriculture sector, the require
Pilot Testing of GBEP Sustainability Indicators for Bioenergy in Indonesia
12/09/2014
The Global Bioenergy Partnership (GBEP) has produced a set of twenty-four indicators for the assessment and monitoring of bioenergy sustainability at the national level. The GBEP indicators are intended to inform policymakers about the environmental, soci
BEFS Rapid Appraisal - Introduction to the approach and the manuals
10/06/2014
This manual provides an overview of the BEFS Rapid Appraisal and of the overall BEFS Approach, of which the BEFS Rapid Appraisal is a part. The BEFS Rapid Appraisal (RA) is a set of easily applicable Excel-based tools that can guide policymakers in obtaining an initial assessment of the in-country bioenergy potential, covering potential feedstock availability, definition of bioenergy pathways of interest, competitiveness of options and potential socioeconomic implications and trade-offs.
El análisis de BEFS para el Perù- Compendio técnico, Volumen 2, Metodologías. 2
12/07/2010
El análisis presentado en este documento describe la implementación del Marco Analítico BEFS en Perú. El análisis proporciona una puerta de entrada a los temas que conciernen bioenergía y seguridad alimentaria. Los resultados que s
Bioenergía y seguridad alimentaria BEFS - El análisis de BEFS para el Perú - Compendio técnico - Volumen I Resultados y conclusiones
12/07/2010
El análisis presentado en este documento describe la implementación del Marco Analítico BEFS en Perú. El objetivo principal del reporte Compendio Técnico titulado Bioenergía y Seguridad Alimentaria Aplicación del Análisis de BEFS en Perú es demostrar como