On January 18, Bioenergy Europe organized an event at the Press Club in Brussels to delve deeper into Europe's energy landscape and the role of bioenergy in the EU's energy transition. During the event, Jérémie Geelen, the Market Intelligence Director of Bioenergy Europe, presented a statistical report, 'Bioenergy Landscape', which sheds light on the significance of bioenergy in the European Union's decarbonization process.
As it stands today, imported fossil fuels remain the main source of energy in the EU. At COP28, world leaders agreed on the need to move away from dependence on fossil fuels and triple renewable energy production by 2030. Bioenergy is Europe's most important source of renewable energy. Produced mainly in Europe, it is a versatile form of renewable energy that can be used for heating, transport and electricity.
During the event, three speakers presented three different perspectives on the potential of bioenergy to advance the energy transition.
“Heating represents the largest part of our energy demand. To achieve climate neutrality by 2050, it is crucial to decarbonize the sector. Bioenergy is taking the lead, contributing 83,6% of the EU's sustainable heating mix. Its striking features – versatility, in-house offering and independence from weather conditions – position bioenergy as a leading solution in the sustainable heating landscape.”, said Jérémie Geelen, Market Intelligence Director, Bioenergy Europe.
“The energy transition confronts us with the imbalance of our actions on the ecosystems on which we depend. The use of biomass for energy has emphasized the relationship between humans and nature and the renewal cycle of natural resources, increasing awareness of sustainable practices and environmental protection of ecosystems”, emphasizes Martin Colla, PhD candidate in Sustainable Energy, UCLouvain & VUB.
“Bioenergy is not only the most versatile sustainable energy solution, but also a viable option for hard-to-fight sectors such as heavy industry and transportation. In essence, bioenergy is not just part of the solution; it is a key player in creating a cleaner, greener future for us all”, said Esther Bustillo Vazquez, project engineer at ENGIE Laborelec.
During the event, speakers agreed that bioenergy and electrification are complementary and not competitive, that bioenergy is a crucial energy source for households, especially those with lower incomes, and that it has unique characteristics that Europe needs to achieve neutrality.
To help the EU in its efforts to decarbonize the economy, Bioenergy Europe has Manifesto for the 2024 European elections three steps towards the energy transition are outlined. If you would like to know more about the European energy landscape and the role of bioenergy in it, read it Bioenergy Landscape Report from Bioenergy Europe.
Source + photo: BioenergyEurope.org
