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Biofuel

  • Glossary item | Last updated: 11 Feb 2025

'Biofuels’ means liquid fuel for transport produced from biomass.

EU, 2018, Directive (EU) 2018/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2018 on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources (recast)

Source category: EU Legislation


Gas or liquid fuel made from plant material (biomass).  Includes wood, wood waste, wood liquors, peat, railroad ties, wood sludge, spent sulfite liquors, agricultural waste, straw, tires, fish oils, tall oil, sludge waste, waste alcohol, municipal solid waste, landfill gases, other waste, and ethanol blended into motor gasoline.

UNFCCC, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change: Glossary. Accessed 22 November 2023

Source category: International Organisations


In the wider sense, biofuels can be defined as all solid, fluid or gaseous fuels produced from biomass. More narrowly, the term comprises fuels that replace petroleum-based road-transport fuels.

OECD/FAO 2023, Agricultural Outlook 2023-2032, OECD Publishing, Paris. 

Source category: International Organisations


Fuel produced directly or indirectly from biomass.

FAO, 2004, Unified Bioenergy Terminology, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy.

Source category: International Organisations


Liquid fuels and blending components produced from biomass feedstocks, used primarily for transportation. Note: Transportation fuels made from biomass; such as biodiesel, bioethanol and biogas.

PCAST, 2006, President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, 2006, The Energy Imperative. Technology and the Role of Emerging Companies, Washington D.C.

Source category: Scientific & Technical Literature


Solid, liquid or gaseous fuel produced directly or indirectly from biomass.

EN ISO 16559:2014, European Committee for Standardisation and International Standards Organisation, European Standards, Solid Biofuels - Terminology, definitions and descriptions, Mandate M/298

Source category: Standards

Related reading
PUBLICATION | 26 May 2026
IEA Bioenergy Annual reports
The IEA Bioenergy annual reports present an evidence-based assessment of the status of bioenergy around the world. The report’s goal is to reinvigorate awareness and interest in bioenergy, address concerns that arise...
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