Bioenergy is the energy produced from biological materials such as crops, woody biomass (e.g. forestry and agricultural residues) and other organic materials and wastes. Biomass, biofuels, bioliquids and biomethane are related terms (see Glossary). These different forms of bioenergy can be used for cooking, heating, industrial use, to produce electricity and for transport fuels. Bioenergy is an important contributor to global energy needs. It makes up the largest share of renewable energy use today, accounting for around 12% of the world’s total final energy demand. More than half of bioenergy is consumed for cooking and heating buildings in a traditional way. Modern uses of bioenergy include biomass and biogas/biomethane for building and industrial heat and power generation, liquid biofuels and biomethane for transport, and biomass-based material used as industrial feedstocks. Modern bioenergy has a major role to play in the energy transition. The International Renewable Energy Agency’s (IRENA’s) 1.5°C Scenario suggests that it could make up a quarter of the total primary energy supply, or 17% of final energy demand, by 2050. Bioenergy would need to be scaled up to provide heat for both industrial processes and buildings, as well as fuels for transport. It is also likely to be needed as feedstock in the chemical industry to produce chemicals and plastics. Combined with carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies in the power sector and some industrial sectors, bioenergy may deliver the negative emissions needed to achieve the net zero emission goal.