China leads in global bioenergy capacity

It also accounts for nearly 40% of the prospective global capacity.

China has the highest bioenergy capacity globally at 19.1 gigawatts (GW), accounting for 27% of the total, according to data from the Global Energy Monitor.

The country also has 7.6 GW of prospective capacity which comprises 39% of the global projects that have been announced or are in the preconstruction and construction phase.

China is followed by Brazil which has a 13.3 GW capacity, the US with 7.37 GW, the UK with 4.3 GW, Indonesia with 3.90 GW, Japan with 2.75 GW, Sweden with 2.35 GW, Finland with 1.98 GW, Denmark with 1.81 GW, and Canada with 1.54 GW.

READ MORE: Asia turns to biomass co-firing in coal plants for energy security, transition

Global Energy Monitor’s Global Bioenergy Power Tracker includes 84 countries and 1,807 units with a total operating capacity of 72.4 GW and 19.7 GW of prospective capacity. This also covers bioenergy that is co-fired with fossil fuels or is co-located at fossil fuel power plants.

“Burning woody biomass alongside coal is dirtier than burning coal on its own, and yet these co-firing plants are still receiving renewable energy subsidies. There is no time to sanction this type of technology and still hope to stop climate change. Calls for expanding bioenergy cannot become a cover for business as usual when it comes to coal,” Ingrid Behrsin, Project Manager for the Global Bioenergy Power Tracker, said.