European Biomass Association Launches Annual Statistical Report

by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) In the EU, the European Biomass Association (AEBIOM) publicly released its annual Statistical Report, with MEPs Miapetra Kumpula-Natri (S&D, FI) and Benedek Jávor (Greens/EFA, HU) hosting. “Statistics confirm that, beyond myth, bioenergy has a lot to offer to Europe: little known, in 2015 bioenergy accounts already for more than 60% of all renewable energy consumed in EU28,” the group reported.

‘Today, bioenergy is by far the leading renewable energy source in Europe, accounting for 61,2% of all RES energy consumed”, explains Cristina Calderón, Publishing Director of the AEBIOM Statistical Report. READ MORE Download report Study (Science Direct/Elsevier)

Excerpts from the report summary: Final energy consumption of bioenergy in 2013 was 105,1 Mtoe, almost double that of 2000. 74,6% of the biomass consumed today for energy purposes is used to produce heat (78,4 Mtoe), followed by bioelecticity with 13,5 Mtoe and biofuels for transport with 13,1 Mtoe. The largest part of biomass consumed in the heat sector goes to the residential market (53,0%) and industry (25,5%).

We have such a great potential in biofuels for cars and aviation. Yet development is slow compared to the urgency we have heading towards the two degree limit. Biofuels from first and second generation together with energy efficient cars can sustainably meet our transport needs. In 2013 biofuels were 4,6 per cent in road transport, it is a step on the way but far too little. We need higher mandatory blends of green alcohols and biodiesels in fossil gasoline and diesel but also the opportunity to continue to develop high blends as E85 and B100. We recommend to reconsider the earlier commission’s proposal in the Energy Taxation Directive, where a carbon dioxide tax is suggested as the most efficient method to combat climate issues in the transport sector.

Bioenergy generated from agricultural land is mainly transportation biofuels and biogas, though straw and cellulosic energy crops are also used in direct combustion. About 2% of EU cereal crops are used for ethanol production, the rest accounting for other industrial uses, food and feed. The case is different for biodiesel, using almost 40% of vegetable oil consumed in Europe. Recently the share of nonfood residues (or 2nd generation) has started to increase in the production of advanced biofuels. Waste can also be treated so that energy is recovered. Municipal waste can be incinerated for energy recovery and biogas can be produced from sewage sludges, tackling the issue of waste management and creating energy simultaneously. About 13% of total EU bioenergy is based on renewable wastes.

In its communication on the EU 2030 climate and energy framework (January 2014), the Commission indicated that “An improved biomass policy will also be necessary to maximise the resource efficient use of biomass in order to deliver robust and verifiable greenhouse gas savings and to allow for fair competition between the various uses of biomass resources (…). This should also encompass the sustainable use of land, the sustainable management of forests in line with the EU’s forest strategy and address indirect land use effects as with biofuels”.

In its Communication on Energy Union (February 2015), the Commission indicates that it will propose a new Renewable Energy Package in 2016-2017 which will include a new policy for sustainable biomass and biofuels as well as legislation to ensure that the 2030 EU target is met cost-effectively.

These two statements show that the Commission is willing to take new actions on biomass sustainability. Over the last years, AEBIOM has been calling for an EU harmonized biomass sustainability policy.

When it comes more particularly to sustainable forest management, the recent report of the ad-hoc Working Group under the Standing Forestry Committee on Sustainable Forest Management Criteria and Indicators is providing inputs to the discussion on biomass sustainability. READ MORE