Bioenergy comprises different forms of usable energy obtained from materials referred to as biomass. A biomass is a biological material in solid, liquid or gaseous form that has stored sunlight in the form of chemical energy. Fossil fuels are excluded from this definition as the organic material has been transformed over long periods of time by geological processes and are mot renewable as such.  

Several types of biomass can be used, with the proper technology and equipment, to produce energy. The most commonly used type of biomass is wood, either round wood or wood waste from industrial activities. Wood and wood waste can be combusted to produce heat used for industrial purposes, for space and water heating, or to produce steam for electricity generation. Through anaerobic digestion, methane can be produced from solid landfill waste or other biomass materials such as sewage, manure and agricultural waste. Sugars can be extracted from agricultural crops and, through distillation; alcohols can be produced for use as transportation fuels. As well, numerous other technologies exist or are being developed to take advantage of other biomass feedstock.

With an agro based economy, Tanzania has access to large and diversified biomass resources that can be used for energy production.

Tanzania has considerable biomass resources in the form of wood, charcoal and agricultural residues.

Historically, the use of wood has been very important in Tanzania for cooking and heating. It is still important today, as 90% of households use wood as a primary source of energy. However, much of this usage is not sustainable because it is not used efficiently. In order to have sustainable use of biomass resources, it is necessary to promote efficient biomass technologies particularly in rural households and small industries. For example use of efficient cooking stoves, and increasing the energy density of the resources by densification or pelletization.