Bioenergy in the circular economy

Bioenergy refers to energy products (heat, electricity, biogas and biofuels) derived from biomass such as forestry residues, purpose-grown crops and organic wastes. Bioenergy can play a key role in advancing circular economy objectives related to resource use and waste management. In the conventional linear system virgin resources are applied to farmland, produce is harvested, processed and consumed, and waste goes to landfill or is dispersed in the environment, depleting land fertility, jeopardising future production, and discarding valuable resources. In the circular economy bioenergy technologies process waste into energy products and capture nutrients for application to farmland, closing the nutrient loop, maintaining productivity and preserving nutrient resources. For example, slow pyrolysis of biomass produces combustible gas and biochar for use as a soil amendment. Circular economy principles are translated for application to bioenergy, to guide the design of bioenergy systems that maximise circular economy objectives. It is recommended that performance of bioenergy systems is assessed using circularity indicators complemented with footprint indicators that quantify key environmental flows, including indirect effects. Sustainable bioenergy systems that advance the circular economy and decarbonisation of energy supply can be encouraged through enabling policy that ensures sustainability of biomass supply, applies a systems approach to management of biomass residues, and facilitates synergies between the land and energy sectors.