TY  - JOUR
AU  - Tang, Kuok Ho Daniel
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/06/22
TI  - Bioenergy in Three Largest Energy-Consuming Nations: An Overview of Policy, Markets and Implications
JO  - Journal of Energy and Power Technology
SP  - 011
VL  - 08
IS  - 02
AB  - Bioenergy plays a differentiated yet increasingly strategic role in national energy transitions, shaped by distinct policy architectures, market structures, and developmental priorities. This review compares the bioenergy policies and markets of China, the United States (US), and India, three of the world’s largest energy consumers, to assess their implications for global bioenergy transitions. China’s bioenergy sector is embedded within a centralized, planning-based governance framework, emphasizing waste-to-energy conversion, agricultural residues, and biogas. Installed biomass power capacity exceeds 45 GW, with annual bioenergy generation of over 200 TWh, while policy support prioritizes system integration, waste management, and controlled expansion rather than rapid market growth. In contrast, the US operates the world’s largest biofuel market, driven by legally mandated demand under the Renewable Fuel Standard and reinforced by tax credits. The US produces more than 60 billion liters of biofuels annually, dominated by corn ethanol and rapidly expanding renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), with cumulative private investment exceeding USD 200 billion over the past two decades. India represents a mission-oriented and developmental model, with bioenergy policies linked to rural income generation, waste utilization, and energy access. Ethanol blending capacity has expanded rapidly, supporting production of over 6 billion liters per year, while biogas and compressed biogas deployment is accelerating through capital subsidies and guaranteed offtake mechanisms. Comparative analysis reveals a trade-off between policy stability and market flexibility. China offers long-term certainty but limited space for innovation; the US enables scale and innovation amid policy volatility; and India prioritizes inclusivity and diffusion, with uneven implementation. These contrasting pathways underscore the need for context-specific bioenergy strategies and highlight bioenergy’s diverse roles in supporting decarbonization, waste management, and sustainable development globally.
SN  - 2690-1692
UR  - https://doi.org/10.21926/jept.2602011
DO  - 10.21926/jept.2602011
ID  - Tang2026
ER  -