Austria supports the implementing agreement IEA- Bioenergy and participates in the Task 42- Biorefining. This task focuses on biorefining for the integrated production of multiple marketable biobased products and bioenergy. Based on the international networking of participating countries and the contribution and dissemination of national biorefining R&D results and case studies, biorefining is pushed forward strategically. This networking, discussion and information exchange within the Task 42 generates significant added value for both, the task and its partners. The scope of activities of Task 42 generally covers following different levels:

(1) Networking of participating countries via national experts,
(2) Analyses, assessment und classification of biorefineries (technology, raw materials, processing, products, quality issues, market potential and sustainability via life cycle assessment (LCA)),
(3) Strategies for development and implementation of biorefining and circular BioEconomy,
(4) Broad dissemination of results and activities and interaction with stakeholders.

In order to assure the high quality level representation of Austria a specific biorefining consortium is established, which contributes to a wide range of interdisciplinary expertise and experience and which is engaged in establishing a wide-ranging national stakeholder involvement. It consists of the partners tbw research GesmbH, Energieinstitut an der Johannes Kepler Universität and Kompetenzzentrum Holz GmbH. Together this consortium has a sound and profound expertise and experience in the field of biorefining particular in (i) development of technologies (such pre-treatment of feedstock, separation of bulk chemicals, processing of fibres..), (ii) assessment of technologies, products, market potential and sustainability (LCA/LCC), (iii) optimisation of specific technologies and sensible system integration, (iv) supply chain management of renewable feedstock, (v) renewable energy carriers and benchmarking with existing fossil based energy sources. In addition the consortium can utilise the existing specific networks of each partner for optimal stakeholder involvement and dissemination in both direction respectively- bottom-up into the IEA-task and also top-down from the task to national stakeholders.