Bioenergy in the European energy transition: Integrated assessment of the long-term position of bioenergy within the context of climate targets

Abstract

This thesis aims to advance the assessment of the future role of bioenergy as a climate mitigation option for the EU to mid-century. This is achieved by improving EU-level projections at a systematic level via accounting for the critical considerations within supply and demand dynamics across global and regional scales, traversing the full delivery-chain and attached emissions. To achieve this aim, the following research questions are addressed: 1. What is the projected role of bioenergy within EU decarbonisation strategies from quantitative assessment approaches, and how well do they capture 'Root-Chute' considerations? 2. To what extent could global bioenergy competition and trade constraints impact EU mitigation potential from bioenergy and vice-versa? 3. How consistent are integrated modelling assessments for bioenergy deployment with EU-level climate, energy and bioenergy-related policy targets? 4. How feasible are long-term projections for EU bioenergy deployment and mitigative potential from the perspective of logistics, scale-up, management practices and technological advancements?