The World Bioenergy Association (WBA) has announced the release of the 2025 Global Bioenergy Statistics Report (GBS), the 12th edition of its annual flagship report.
The 2025 GBS report provides the latest information on the global energy mix, renewable energy status, biomass supply, biopower, biomass heating, and liquid and gaseous biofuels.
It also features special case studies, including a regional overview of the European wood pellet sector, the ethanol industry in India, and biogas development in Brazil.
According to the Global Bioenergy Statistics Report 2025, global energy supply reached 622 EJ in 2023, with fossil fuels still accounting for over 80 percent. Renewables continued to expand, reaching 92 EJ, a 3 percent increase from 2022.
Bioenergy maintained a steady 9 percent share of the total supply, contributing 56 EJ, its highest level to date, and a 2 percent increase from 2022 to 2023. Biomass supply was largely driven by solid biomass, which made up 83 percent of the total output.
Most of it was in the form of traditional biomass like fuelwood and charcoal. Europe remained the largest market for wood pellets, while Vietnam strengthened its position in Asia with a 33 percent production increase, now accounting for more than half of the regional output.
Bioenergy contributed to all end-use sectors: electricity, transportation, and heating. In power generation, bioenergy produced 711 TWh in 2024, representing 7 percent of global renewable electricity. Asia accounted for half of this output.
In heat production, bioenergy remained the dominant renewable option, supplying 73 percent of renewable heat worldwide. Europe was the clear leader, responsible for three-quarters of global bioheat.
In transportation, biofuels consumption reached 4.73 EJ in 2023, nearly 90 percent of all renewable energy used in the sector. Over the last five years, biofuel use has grown by more than 20 percent, supported by blending mandates in at least 35 countries.
Ethanol was the largest biofuel produced, with global output of 118 billion liters in 2024, led by the United States and Brazil, which together accounted for 80 percent. India followed as the third-largest producer with 6.48 billion liters.
Biodiesel output reached almost 50 billion liters, with Indonesia, the EU, Brazil, and the United States as the main producers.
Other key highlights from the 2025 GBS report include:
- In 2024, bioenergy electricity generation peaked at 698 TWh, representing a 3 percent year-over-year growth. Asia led this growth, with China alone accounting for 30 percent of the global biopower output.
- Global biopower capacity reached 151 GW in 2024, with Asia’s capacity nearly tripling since 2015, driven by major investments in China, India, and Japan.
- Global biogas production hit 1,76 EJ in 2023, and biogas and biomethane (aka renewable natural gas – RNG) generation capacity increased by 4 percent in 2023.
- Bioenergy supported 3.9 million jobs in 2023, with liquid biofuels providing over 70 percent.
- Investment in bioenergy is also increasing, projected to reach US$16 billion in 2025, a 13 percent rise from the previous year, mainly in biodiesel and ethanol projects.
