The potential role of biomass in the EU

The potential role of biomass in the EU

The campaigning NGO for greater environmental and social justice, with a focus on forests and forest peoples rights in the policies and practices of the EU

Veerle DosscheFERN Bioenergy Campaign

AimFERN wants to launch a discussion that aims to look at the potential role woody biomass could play in a Europe that uses energy sustainably.

Questions :• What is role of wood into future energy mix ? • Under which conditions can we support the use of wood to be used for biomass ?

EU energy scene• Rising global demand + growing worries over energy security

+ climate change• Overall, EU depends on fossil fuels for approx 80 % of its

energy needs. • Energy mix within the EU varies widely from country to

country and region to region• If present trends continue, world energy demand is set to

increase by more than 50 % by 2030• World energy outlook (2007): from 2012, oil supplies will be

tight.• EU has set out number of policies and energy targets to deal

with challenges of supply, Climate Change, etc

RES in EU’s energy mixShare of renewable energies in primary energy consumption of European Union countries in 2005 (in %)

Renewables and biomassShare of each resource in the renewable primary energy production (in %)

EU’s biomass potential

59 Mtoe of wood and wood wastes; 3 Mtoe of biogas; and 5 Mtoe of municipal solid waste

Wood fuel sources for Europe and North America

How important is wood energy in the energy supply picture ?

Biofuels from wood

• Now more attention for second generation biofuels • 31 mtoe would be needed in order to meet transport

target, how much wood needed to cover this ?• Technical development not ready and expensive• Competition for resources would increase prices and

imports

Competition over wood resources• CEPI members responsible for 27 % of global paper

and pulp production• Industry is both largest producer and consumer of

biomass based energy in Europe ; they produce 25 per cent of the EU total.

• Already competition between the industry and bioenergy sector for wood resources.

• CEPI demands : need for policies and incentives that stimulate biomass production ; mobilise existing resources and encourage new ones.

Biomass does not escape from environmental criticism

• Land availability• Increased conflicts over land resources• Fertilizer and pesticide input• Deadwood• Perennial energy crops (short rotation crops)• Forest inventories• Stump uprooting• GMOs• etc

Conclusion

• Woody biomass at present account for a major share of renewable energy generation in Europe

• If resources are well managed and efficiently used, then wood based biomass could have potential and contribute to meeting the EU’s RES targets

• Mistakes that have been made in regard to the formation of agrofuels policy must not be repeated

• But what are the conditions ? Let’s discuss.

Avenue de l’Yser 4 Brussels 1040 • Belgium

t +32 (0)2 733 08 14e veerle@fern.org m +32 (0)498 54 48 73

www.fern.org

The campaigning NGO for greater environmental and social justice, with a focus on forests and forest peoples rights in the policies and practices of the EU