Open letter from 500 European bioenergy companies
More than 500 companies from the bioenergy value chain have called on the European Commission in an open letter to deploy bioenergy as part of the energy mix to end energy dependence on Russian fossil fuels.
Biomass is a turnkey solution that contributes to energy security and reducing the energy price crisis. Leading organizations such as IPCC, IEA and IEA Bioenergy emphasize that biomass also plays an important role in achieving a net-zero economy by 2050. In stark contrast to this is the previous REPowerEU proposal, presented in March, in which the European Commission ignored the role of sustainable bioenergy.
Lack of vision
“Market participants are shocked by the lack of vision shown by the European Commission in presenting the REPowerEU strategy,” said Jean-Marc Jossart, Secretary General of Bioenergy Europe. “In addition to Europe's energy stability and security, the EU needs bioenergy to achieve its own long-term environmental and energy goals.”
CEOs and high-level representatives of the European bioenergy and biofuels value chain, including many SMEs and family businesses, but also a large company like RWE, are urging EU leaders to reconsider their plan and highlight the current and future role of bioenergy for society: “The European bioenergy sector is a global leader in renewable technologies with more than 800.000 jobs and more than 50.000 companies in the value chain.”
Lower costs and emissions
The letter further emphasizes how “bioenergy is readily available and can be implemented quickly, often at low cost. For example, for district heating, the switch from fossil fuels to biomass and waste has led to lower costs and emissions in many countries. For residential and commercial buildings, heating with pellets, briquettes or wood chips offers a clean and efficient alternative to gas and oil.”
