BACKGROUND

Biomass is expected to provide the major share in meeting the renewable energy targets for EU27 and in the same time conform to sustainability criteria as well as be synergetic and not compete with resources for other markets, esp. food production.

The objective of this project is to evaluate how and to what extent biomass can contribute to a sustainable energy future for EU27 and MemberStates based on demand supply analysis and with the use of update modelling frameworks. The outputs will be validated through a stakeholder consultation and inform policy at EU27 and national level.

aim

The BIOMASS FUTURES project aim is to:

Conductdemand & supply analysis for the role biomass can play in the heat, electricity & CHP and transport sector in EU27 and MemberStates.

Perform stakeholder consultations to validate modelling result.

Provide quantified information for the role biomass can play to meet the targets set in the RED.

LIST OF PARTICIPANTS

Project coordinator:

ImperialCollegeLondon, Centre for Energy Policy and Technology – ICEPT

Partners:

International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis / IIASA / AT
Centre for Renewable Energy Sources / CRES / EL
Oeko-Institut – Institute for applied ecology / Oeko / DE
Energy Research Centre of the Netherlands / ECN / NL
Alterra b.v. / Alterra / NL
Institute for European Environmental Policy / IEEP / UK
Institute of communication and computer systems / ICCS / EL

Project website

Contact

Dr Calliope Panoutsou

Email:
Web:
Tel:+44 (0) 20 7594 6781
Fax: +44 (0) 20 7594 9334

Biomass FUTURES

Biomass role in achieving the Climate Change & Renewables EU policy targets.

Demand and Supply dynamics under the perspective of stakeholders

WORK PROGRAMME

BIOMASS FUTURES will investigate: (i)use quantitative and qualitative cross-sectoral assessments using modelling tools, i.e. Biotrans/Admire-REBUS and PRIMES, to determine the role biomass can play in meeting the stated EU-policy targets; (ii)form specialised stakeholder working groups, and involve them in the project in order to gain insight in the trade-offs among the energy & non-energy (food, construction materials, etc.) market sectors for biomass; (iii)provide inputs to the National Action Plans and to the impact of indirect land use and on the possible introduction of requirements in relation to air, soil and water protection.

BIOMASS FUTURESwill interact with and integrate findings from other projects includingEUBIONETIII, BAP Driver, BEE, etc. and will draw on information from ongoing european and international bioenergy activities.

BIOMASS FUTURES hassixinterrelated areas of work:

Demand

Define, characterise and analyse the specific market segments within the EU27 and UK, NL, DE, AT, EL, heat, electricity-CHP and transport sectors, where biomass can have an important penetration , and better understand the barriers and opportunities for deployment in these segments.

Availability & Supply

Provide a comprehensive strategic analysis of biomass supply options and their availability in response to different demands and different sustainability criteria in a timeframe from 2010- 2030 by making a comparative inventory of existing studies, and synthesising the results in terms of economic supply estimates that are most realistic and likely given various policy and development scenarios

Sustainability

The aim of this work package is to identify, define and quantify (where possible) the main sustainability standards and criteria regarding indirect land use change, air, water, soil requirements and social impacts and provide input to the Commission in the form of post- RES criteria/ indicators. The work will be based on the RES-D sustainability criteria and will aim to feed into the updating process meeting the 2012 deadlines.

Energy modelling

Assess the role of bioenergy in the different sectors in which biomass can be applied (biofuels, power, and heat), given:

The market segmentation inputs regarding influence factors and the respective hypotheses of the potential bioenergy/ biofuels demand

The spatially detailed biomass supply and cost data

The way the sustainability criteria and concerns on indirect land use affect the availability and cost of this biomass.

Several packages of policy measures for renewable energy.

Stakeholder consultation

Develop dialogue mechanisms in the form of structured interviews, targeted phone-conferences bringing together selected sets of stakeholders - inter alia farmers & energy producers, investors & policy makers.

Policy

Inform and support policy makers across the EU ensuring, their input into the broader work within biomass futures project, but importantly helping policy makers deal with key challenges associated with the development of bioenergy solutions and the implementation of the renewable energy Directive.

MAJOR OUTPUTS & RESULTS

  • Quantitative scenarios for sustainable demand & supply patterns for biomass in EU27 with disaggregation at Member state level that will be useful for policy makers to address issues in implementing the Renewable Energy Directive.
  • Spatially detailed information on biomass availability and costs in the EU27 and MemberStates, including the key parameters that affect this, and policy measures of influence
  • Evaluation and quantification of the impacts that sustainability criteria plus criteria on indirect land use change, water, air, soil and socials aspects can have on the availability and costs of biomass.
  • Interactive communication with market and policy stakeholders to identify the demand and supply aspects required to increase the use of bioenergy and meet the RES-D targets.