The World Bioenergy Association (WBA) has launched the 2023 edition of its annual flagship publication the Global Bioenergy Statistics Report, a valuable resource that provides insight into the intricate dynamics of the global bioenergy landscape.
The recent conclusion of COP28 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) marks a significant milestone in the global efforts to combat climate change.
The final agreement to “transition away from fossil fuels” and the resolute pledge to “triple renewable energy capacities and double energy efficiency by 2030” signifies a promising era for sustainable energy transitions.
In the wake of these decisive outcomes, the WBA’s annual Global Bioenergy Statistics Report 2023 – the 10th edition – serves as a tool for guiding stakeholders toward informed decision-making.
Some key highlights from the report are:
Fossil Fuels vs. Renewable Energy: Fossil fuels continue to dominate the global energy supply, constituting 80 percent of the total primary energy supply.
However, renewable energy technologies witnessed a slight decline and had a share of 15 percent in 2021.
Electricity Sector Dynamics: Coal and gas played a dominating role in generating electricity worldwide, making up nearly 60 percent of the total electricity generation in 2020.
Renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power, also made significant progress and accounted for 29 percent of global electricity production.
Bioenergy contributed 9 percent of the power mix, generating 685 TWh. Of this, 69 percent came from solid biomass sources, while 17 percent was from municipal- and industrial waste.
Renewable Heat Production: Over the past two decades, renewable energy sources such as biomass, geothermal, and solar thermal have doubled their contribution to global heat production.
Biomass accounted for 96 percent of global renewable heat production in 2020, with Europe generating 88 percent of bioheat globally.
Transportation Industry Challenges: The transportation sector remains heavily reliant on crude oil and its derivatives, constituting over 90 percent of its energy consumption. Urgent focus on renewable energy use including renewable electricity and fuels is imperative for decarbonization of the sector.
Bioenergy commodities: In 2022, Europe leads in wood pellet production with a global production volume of 26 million tonnes, while Africa leads in wood fuel and charcoal production with the production of 720 million m3 and 36 million tonnes respectively.
Liquid biofuels and biogas production reached 146 billion litres and 38 billion m3 in 2020.
