We explore the potential of biomass residues for biogas and bioenergy production, focusing on maximizing energy yield and nutrient recovery. Our research evaluates the impact of different feedstocks and combinations ranging from animal manure to crop residues and organic waste on methane production and digestate quality, providing practical insights for sustainable energy systems and circular bioeconomy solutions.
Some of our key publications on biogas, bioenergy potential, and feedstock optimization are listed below.
| Title | Description | Download | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biomethane potential of urban food waste in Africa | Expansion of Anaerobic Digestion in Africa is limited by high investment costs and concerns about feedstock availability. Currently, the focus is mostly on digestion of animal manure. There is, however, a huge amount of untapped potential feedstocks. Urban and household waste, including sewage sludge, represent a significant biomethane potential due to their high organic content, moisture level and biodegradability. This poster evaluates the biomethane potential of urban food waste in Africa, which may amount to 24 billion cubic meter (BCM). | 260 Downloads | 2025 |
| OFVI poster: feedstock influence on bio-slurry quality and methane yield | The poster, created as part of the OFVI project, illustrates that combining cattle manure with maize stover enhances biogas production, while chicken manure and sisal pulp produce nutrient-rich bio-slurry. | 474 Downloads | 2024 |
| OFVI report INC7: feedstock influence on bio-slurry quality in Kenya | Kenya generates 112 million tonnes of biomass residues annually, with two-thirds coming from animal manure. The highest biogas yields are achieved by mixing kitchen waste, sugar filter cake, and maize stover. Kitchen waste and chicken manure provide nitrogen, while fruit waste, banana stems, and coffee pulp supply potassium. | 445 Downloads | 2023 |
| Feedstock impact biogas and bioslurry quality | Showing which feedstocks and combinations of feedstock yield most biogas, and highest quality bioslurry. | 333 Downloads | 2023 |
| Variable demand as a means to more sustainable biofuels and biobased materials | Based on a survey, an expert workshop, and relevant literature, the effects of a variable biofuel demand approach are evaluated with respect to food security, agricultural productivity, detrimental land-use change, and feedstock competition with biobased chemicals and materials. Here we provide evidence that variable biofuel demand can enhance the synergistic development of agriculture, renewable biomass feedstocks and biofuels, but implementation faces several challenges. | 1984 Downloads | 2020 |
| Mobilising Sustainable Supply Chains – Biogas Cases | This report is part of a broader IEA Bioenergy InterTask Project ‘Mobilising sustainable bioenergy supply chains’. It discusses: biogas production from organic residues, biogas production from the organic fraction of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW), use of oil palm residues, and co-digestion of agricultural residues (manure and substrates). | 1746 Downloads | 2020 |
| Report on expert workshop on variable demand for biofuels | This IEA Bioenergy Task 43 report presents the results of a one-day Expert Workshop on “Variable demand as an avenue to sustainable first generation biofuels and biobased chemicals” that was held 3 December 2018 in The Hague (NL). Read more about the project here. | 1483 Downloads | 2020 |
| Ethanol from sugar beet in The Netherlands: energy production and efficiency | Prospects for ethanol production from sugar beet in The Netherlands have been analysed using measured production data from two experimental farms and literature on beet to ethanol conversion. The analyses include beet cultivation and harvesting, transport to the factory, conversion into ethanol and delivery of the ethanol to distribution points. | 2434 Downloads | 2017 |
| IEA Bioenergy intertas -project synthesis report mobilizing sustainable bioenergy supply chains | Mobilizing sustainable bioenergy supply chains’ is a project carried out in the period 2013-2016, with involvement of many IEA Bioenergy experts. The project analysed sustainable bioenergy production systems to determine the factors critical to their mobilisation through a series of case studies. This work focused on five globally strategically significant bioenergy supply chains representing major global biomes and potential primary and residue supplies. | 1483 Downloads | 2015 |
| Bioethanol from sweet sorghum data checks | Initiatives have been taken to initate bioethanol production form sweet sorghum in Sulawesi, Indonesia. Objectives are to help establish sustainable biomass for ethanol production and to support (preparations for) sustainable biofuel certification. This report evaluates data on land and crop cultivation and biomass conversion as these have been presented in project documents and compares them to other references. | 2588 Downloads | 2011 |