Bioenergy is Europe's leading renewable energy source. According to Eurostat data and calculations made by the European Biomass Association (AEBIOM), bioenergy will be able to supply 11 % of the final energy consumption in 2017. An additional 7 % comes from the other renewables, while the rest (82 %) still comes from fossil fuels. In this context, for 66 days the EU can run on renewable energies, 41 days of which are supplied by bioenergy—from November 21 to the end of the year.
When applied to Austria, the date in which bioenergy begins supplying renewable energy is already on October 27 for a total of 66 days—the same day from which the EU runs on all renewables combined. With this, Austria ranks seventh in the EU for the greatest share of bioenergy.
Sweden leads with the earliest Bioenergy Day—August 21, However, when breaking down local Austrian consumption, bioenergy supplied Carinthia with a total of 117 days, followed by Burgenland with 102 days and Salzburg with 95 days.
Bioenergy provides 66 days of clean energy
Supplying 66 days of energy makes bioenergy the leading renewable energy source in Austria (55% share). In comparison, the energy from hydropower is enough for 37 days, while photovoltaic (PV) supplies energy just short of one day.
Biofuels alone represent 8 days— more than wind, PV and ambient heat. Oil has a computational range of 121 days and natural gas of 75 days.
Our goal is to overtake oil as the most important source of energy by 2030. The prerequisite is the reduction of climate-damaging fossil sources of energy, the increase in energy efficiency and the expansion of renewable energies. The reduction in total energy consumption is essential – halving it and doubling the share of renewables. Together with all renewables, we would be able to manage 220 days without fossil energy sources in 2030, said Josef Plank, President of the Austrian Biomass Association.
The final share of bioenergy consumption in Austria increased by 54% between 2005 and 2015. At 78%, heating is the central use for domestic biomass, followed by biofuels with 14% and green electricity and biogas with 8%.
Bioenergy is also the largest employer and supplier of renewables. With more than EUR 2 billion and a share of 30%, it is the largest contributor to the total turnover of renewables. Almost half of the renewable energy business can be found in biomass.
European Bioenergy Day
The European Bioenergy Day campaign is powered by the European Biomass Association (AEBIOM) and relayed across Europe by both national and international partners supporting the belief that bioenergy is more than a renewable energy source, but a reliable path that will lead Europe to achieve its renewable energy transition in the shortest span of time.
