Bioenergy resources such as forestry and agriculture crops, biomass residues and wastes already provide about 14% of the world's primary energy supplies. Bioenergy offers cost-effective and sustainable opportunities with the potential to meet 50% of world energy demands during the next century and at the same time meet the requirement of reducing carbon emissions from fossil fuels.

29. Socio-Economic Drivers in Implementing Bioenergy Projects
The objectives of Task 29 are to: - achieve a better understanding of the social and economic impacts and opportunities of bioenergy systems to communities at the local, regional and international level; - synthesise and transfer important knowledge and new information in order to foster multi-disciplinary partnerships of key stakeholders in forest biomass production and utilization research, planning and operations; - improve the assessment of the impacts of biomass production and utilisation in order to increase the uptake of bioenergy; and - provide guidance to policy makers. These objectives will be met through the results obtained in the previous Task period and also through the international state-of-the-art socio-economic evaluation of bioenergy programmes. Activities will be expanded to include developing countries through the FAO and similar organisations. This will include the sharing of research results, stimulation of new research directions in national, regional and local programmes of participating countries and technology transfer from science to resource managers, planners and industry.

30. Short Rotation Crops for Bioenergy Systems
The objective of Task 30 is to acquire, synthesise and transfer theoretical and practical knowledge of sustainable short rotation biomass production systems and thereby to enhance market development and large-scale implementation in collaboration with the various sectors involved. The Task also aims to improve the awareness of biomass production potential and to promote the use of biomass for energy in participating countries. The Task is confined to short rotation crops that entirely or by means of residuals may provide biomass to the energy market, and comprises lignocellulosic crops in farming systems and plantation forests grown on short rotations.The latter category includes coppice systems and also fast-growing single-stem plantations (rotation period 6 to 12 years).These short rotation systems usually employ willow, hybrid poplar and Eucalyptus pecies and produce large quantities of biomass suitable for energy purposes. In many nstances, they form an important component of nutrient cycling and thus may play an mportant role in environmental management. Pest and disease problems associated with hort rotation crop systems and ways to mitigate them are an integral part of this work.

31. Biomass Production for Energy from Sustainable Forestry
The objective of the Task is to develop an integrative framework for information related to biomass production for energy from sustainable forestry, based on leading-edge science and technology, and to share and promote the use of such an information framework with advanced information technology and a high level of collaboration. The Task encompasses natural forestry systems and single-stem plantation systems, which can provide a source of biomass for energy. The scope is worldwide. Efforts are made to expand activities to include countries with economies in transition. The work includes sharing of research results, stimulation of new research directions in national programmes of participating countries, and technology transfer from science to resource managers, planners and industry. The emphasis is on an integrated approach to biological, economic, environmental, and social components of forestry systems. Multi-disciplinary partnerships of key stakeholders in forest biomass production research, planning, and operations are fostered. The primary end users for Task outputs are forest managers, researchers and bioenergy planners, but Task outputs will also be useful to policy makers, NGOs and the interested public.

32. Biomass Combustion and Co-firing
The objective of the Task is to stimulate expansion of biomass combustion and co-firing for the production of heat and power on a broad scale. The widespread interest in the work of the Task illustrates the relevance of biomass combustion and co-firing in society. The emphasis of the activities in the Task are currently: market introduction to expand the use of biomass combustion in the short term; and optimisation of biomass combustion technology in the longer term so that it remains competitive. Technical issues addressed by the Task are: increasing fuel flexibility, including contaminated biomass and biomass pellets; advanced process control and sensor development; corrosion and deposit formation mechanisms; formation and emission of particulates (aerosols) and primary measures for NOx reduction; and the improvement of existing systems and development of new concepts.

33. Thermal Gasification of Biomass
The objectives of Task 33 are to review and exchange information on biomass gasification research, development and demonstration (RD&D), seek continuing involvement with bioenergy industries and to promote co-operation among the participating countries to eliminate technological impediments to the advancement of thermal gasification of biomass. The ultimate objective is to promote commercialisation of efficient, economical and environmentally preferable biomass gasification processes, for the production of electricity, heat and steam, for the production of synthesis gas for subsequent conversion to chemicals, fertilisers, hydrogen and transportation fuels and also for co-production of these products.

34. Pyrolysis of Biomass
Task 34 started in January 2004 and will finish in December 2007. By agreement between the European Commission (EC) and IEA Bioenergy, it is integrated with the EC Pyrolysis Network, which is part of the new ThermalNet project that started in January 2005 and will finish in December 2007. Thus the two activities are properly synchronised. The technical focus of PyNe is through a set of tasks that are firmly integrated with the other two complementary networks on biomass gasification (GasNet) and combustion (CombNet). This is shown in the figure below. An interesting feature of these tasks is the close interactions and complementarity between the three technology areas that will encourage a high level of interaction in areas of mutual interest. The main activities of the Task will continue to focus on resolution of technical issues to aid commercial implementation of fast pyrolysis, information exchange and dissemination by: dedicated and focused regular meetings centred on Technologies and tasks that will advance the state-of-the-art through critical reviews and commissioning of specialist material; and collation and dissemination of relevant information through the regular PyNe newsletter, the PyNe website, and direct contact between Task members and invited guests through the planned programme of meetings, workshops, and conferences.

36. Energy Recovery from Municipal Solid Waste
The objective of Task 36 is to maintain a network of participating countries as a forum for information exchange and dissemination. The waste and energy sector worldwide is currently undergoing a period of intense legislative and institutional change. Keeping abreast of both policy and technology developments is a prime aim of the Task. The sharing of good practice and/or new technology and techniques is also a major goal. The Task participants have chosen a number of key Topic Areas for inclusion in the work programme. Over the last few years some significant European led changes have occurred in solid waste management. These include the adoption by the EU of the landfill directive, the agreement on a common position on harmonising MSW and hazardous waste incineration and the increasing application of best practice or life-cycle-based analysis to the determination of waste management policy. These changes will have a profound impact on the way in which solid waste is dealt with, and consequently on the role, and potential for, energy recovery within this. Whilst this impact will be most acute in Europe, other countries will have an interest in developments in Europe and may also follow EU practice. The pressure to divert biodegradable and combustible waste from landfill is driven by a combination of legislative changes and economics - increasingly there is a shortage of suitable landfill void and its cost base is increasing. These drivers provide an opportunity for the development and deployment of cost-effective energy recovery systems. The deployment of these systems depends on improved efficiency (where the systems are already in place) and a legislative framework that encourages their development. In the latter case information on environmental impacts and costs is of prime importance for decision-makers. The work programme for this Task aims to provide such information in a form that is readily accessible.

37. Energy from Biogas and Landfill Gas
The overall objectives of Task 37 are to review and exchange on anaerobic digestion (AD) to produce, upgrade and utilise biogas as an energy source, digestate (compost) as an organic fertiliser and the anaerobic degradation process as a link in the chain of waste (water) treatment. The scope of the work focuses on adoption of appropriate waste management practices, promotion of the commercialisation of biogas installations, improvement of the quality of the products and improving environmental standards. Through the work of the Task, communication between RD&D programmes, the industry and governmental bodies is encouraged and stimulated. To achieve the objectives, the Task maintains strong relationships with the governments of Member Countries, R&D institutions and industry. Partners are plant and equipment providers, actual and future operators and potential clients interested in the products of anaerobic digestion, i.e. fertiliser (digestate) and biogas.

38. Greenhouse Gas Balances of Biomass and Bioenergy Systems
The objective of Task 38 is to integrate and analyse information on greenhouse gases, bioenergy, and land use, thereby covering all components that constitute a biomass or bioenergy system. The current Task focuses on the application of methodologies to greenhouse gas mitigation projects and programmes.

39. Liquid Biofuels from Biomass
The objective of this Task is to provide participants with comprehensive information to assist with the development and deployment of biofuels for motor fuel use. The Task is building upon the successes of previous efforts to deal in a coordinated manner with both the technical and the infrastructure issues related to biofuels. To meet this objective, the Task is: - providing information and analyses on policy, regulatory and infrastructure issues that will help participants encourage the establishment of the infrastructure for biofuels as a replacement for fossil-based biofuels - catalysing cooperative research and development projects to help participants develop improved, cost-effective processes for converting lignocellulosic biomass to ethanol - providing information and analyses on specialised Topics relating to the production and implementation of biodiesel technologies, and - providing for information dissemination, outreach to stakeholders, and coordination with other related groups. The Task structure allows participants to deal with biofuels in a comprehensive manner.

40: Sustainable International Bioenergy Trade: Securing Supply and Demand
The objective of the Task is to investigate what is needed to create a ‘commodity market’ for bioenergy. Through the international platform provided by IEA Bioenergy, combined with industry partners, government bodies and NGO’s, the Task will contribute to the development of sustainable bioenergy markets both in the short- and long-term and on different scales (from regional to global).The goal is that this platform will set the agenda and initiate a host of new activities relevant to the development of biomass potentials worldwide. The vision of the Task on global bioenergy trade is that it will develop into a real ‘commodity market’ which will secure supply and demand in a sustainable way. Sustainability provides the key ingredient for long-term security.

41. Bioenergy Systems Analysis
“Systems Analysis” means the study and analysis of the interaction between different parts of the energy system (eg. consumers, producers, fuel production) as well as the interaction of the energy system with other parts of society. The aim is to get a meta analysis of the larger context to facilitate the drawing of conclusions on priorities, decision making, policy effectiveness etc. The objective of this Annex is to supply decision makers with scientifically sound and politically unbiased analyses and conclusions needed for strategic decisions related to research or policy issues. The target groups are particularly decision makers in Ministries, national or local administrations, deploying agencies/organisations, etc. Depending on the character of the various projects some deliverables are also expected to be of direct interest to industry. Decision makers, both public and private, have to consider a whole range of aspects in their planning and deliberations. Hence the Task will cover technical, economic and environmental data in its work. Because of its special character in terms of participation, financing and cross cutting orientation, the Task is expected to be a valuable resource and instrument for the Executive Committee (ExCo). The Task will provide the ExCo with a highly qualified team of generalists with the capability and resources to carry out projects involving several parties (e.g. other Tasks and other organisations) as requested by the ExCo. It is expected to collaborate, by mutual agreement, with existing Tasks when they are relevant to a current project. Due to the character of the Task and its close contact with the other Tasks, the Task is expected to develop into a platform for joint Task work and to be a catalyst for proposals from the other Tasks to the ExCo. All deliverables from the Task’s programme of work will be made available to all Members of IEA Bioenergy whether or not they are participants in the Task.

42. Biorefineries: Co-production of Fuels, Chemicals, Power and Materials from Biomass
The major objective of the Task is to assess the worldwide position and potential of the biorefinery concept and to gather new insights that will indicate the possibilities for new competitive, sustainable, safe and eco-efficient processing routes for the simultaneous manufacture of transportation fuels, added-value chemicals, (CH) power, and materials. The following activities have been identified and agreed by the participants: - Prepare a common definition of biorefineries, including a clear and widely accepted classification system; - Gain better insights into the processing potential of existing biorefineries in the participating countries; - Assess biorefinery-related RD&D programmes in participating countries to help national governments define their national biorefinery policy goals and related programmes; - Prove the advantages of biorefinery concepts over more conventional single product processes by assessing and comparing thei financial, economic, and ecological characteristics; - Bring together key stakeholders normally operating in different market sectors (eg. transportation fuels, chemicals, energy, etc.) in multi-disciplinary partnerships to discuss common biorefinery-related topics, to foster necessary RD&D trajectories, and to accelerate the deployment of developed technologies; - Identify the most promising added-value chemicals, eg., functionalised chemicals and platform chemicals (building blocks), to be co-produced with energy, to optimise overall process economics and minimise the overall environmental impact; - Co-operate with ongoing national and international activities and programmes, eg. other Tasks, Implementing Agreements, and EU Technology Platforms; - Disseminate knowledge, including teaching material to make students familiar with the integral concept-thinking of biorefineries.