Tag: biomass

A new review of European bioenergy by independent researchers has found “significant risk” that EU renewables policies will increase carbon emissions by 2020 because of a dearth of carbon accounting safeguards. 

Biomass is playing an increasingly important role in the EU’s low carbon economy, but we are running out of time to ensure that policies support rather than prevent its sustainable use, says Dr Matthew Aylott.

The EU’s emissions reduction target for 2020 could be facing an unlikely but grave obstacle, according to a growing number of scientists, EU officials and NGOs: the contribution of biomass to the EU’s renewable energy objectives for 2020.

Rising global demand for cleaner energy from biomass could drive more land acquisition in poorer nations where food security and land rights are weak, according to an International Institute for Environment and Development report released yesterday (30 August).

Facilitating access to renewable feedstocks will be a test of how serious Europe is in promoting the bio-based economy, according to Nathalie Moll, secretary-general of EuropaBio. The EU biotech industry chief spoke to EurActiv in an interview.

Biogas has become an attractive alternative source of energy in Europe as the renewable fuel serves several policy priorities, ranging from increased domestic energy production to the reduction of greenhouse gases and more efficient waste treatment.

The EU's current indecision on environmental criteria for biomass could discredit the whole industry, which lives off its climate-friendly image, Eric Johnson, managing director of Atlantic Consulting, told EurActiv in an interview.

The EU is preparing to present a template for national biomass action plans, after endorsing new renewables legislation last year that is set to increase the bloc's bioenergy production, Paul Hodson, deputy head of unit in the European Commission's energy and transport directorate, said yesterday (9 February).

Germany, Austria, Belgium, Finland, France and Luxembourg are calling for a new EU action plan to promote the use of biomass for the chemicals, construction and packaging industries, which are concerned that excessive biofuels production may undermine their raw materials base. 

With ethanol and biodiesel coming under increasing criticism for driving up food prices and putting biodiversity at risk, the EU has committed to 'second-generation' biofuels as a clean alternative for transportation - but many challenges remain before they find their way into our cars.

Bioenergies are derived from wood, waste and agricultural crops for transport uses (biofuels). Currently, the EU meets about 4% of its energy needs from biomass. The main objective of the Biomass Action Plan, put forward in December 2005, is to double this share by 2010. The plan would reduce oil imports by 8%, prevent greenhouse gas emissions worth 209 million tons CO2-equivalent per year and create up to 300,000 new jobs in the agricultural and forestry sector.

It is becoming clear that biofuels made from sugar and vegetable oils will fail to substantially reduce our dependance on oil. Do second-generation biofuels stand a better chance?

The Commission has proposed extending to the ten member states that joined the EU in 2004 a scheme rewarding farmers with a 45 euro premium for each hectare of land used for biofuels production.

EU energy ministers insisted on preserving member states' ability to determine their own policies and objectives on biomass and biofuels. A new R&D platform was launched to explore the further use of biofuels in Europe.

New measures aim at increasing the blending of biofuels in cars to 10% per volume by 2015, French PM Dominique de Villepin announced. The measure is part of a wide-ranging energy policy review.

During a press conference in the Parliament on 26 April, former farm commissioner Franz Fischler criticised the EU's energy green paper for not going far enough and urged the Commission to invest more in renewable energies in general and biomass in particular.

By adopting a new EU Biofuels Strategy, the Commission intends to boost the production of fuels such as biodiesel or bioethanol. Green groups fear that the EU's plans are mainly driven by agricultural interests and lack environmental safeguards.

The Austrian EU Presidency intends to speed up the adoption of the Commission's Biomass Action Plan in view of the urgent need to diversify Europe's energy sources.