Bioenergy Europe wrapped up the 2024 edition of its two-day annual flagship conference, the European Bioenergy Future (EBF), emphasizing that bioenergy is a key enabler of Europe's energy transition.
The European Bioenergy Future 2024 event gathered almost 150 participants from across the bioenergy industry, EU policymakers, academia, and civil society in Brussels, Belgium on November 20-21, 2024.
Participants left the event with key takeaways: the need to reduce administrative burdens to boost competitiveness, accelerate the defossilization of heating systems, and advance efforts toward achieving negative emissions. emphasizing
In his opening remarks, Bioenergy Europe’s President, Christoph Pfemeter, underscored bioenergy’s critical contribution to the EU’s energy resilience and its potential to replace fossil fuels efficiently.
Stressing that bioenergy remains the most cost-effective solution for avoiding carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, Pfemeter called for the next EU legislative mandate to simplify administrative procedures and introduce more robust support schemes to foster growth and innovation in the sector.
Bioenergy, together with other renewables, has the capacity to replace fossil fuels by 2050, concluded Christoph Pfemeter.
A key highlight of the conference was an engaging Fireside Chat with MEP Nicolás González Casares, who provided valuable insights into the EU’s ongoing efforts to promote renewable energy.
Casares addressed the importance of balancing sustainability objectives with practical implementation, setting the tone for broader discussions throughout the event.
We need sustainable bioenergy in Europe to decarbonize our energy system, Nicolás González Casares stressed.
The conference featured a diverse lineup of high-profile speakers from public institutions, private enterprises, and academia.
Panel discussions and presentations delved into pressing topics such as the rising demand for biomass and its alignment with EU sustainability goals, the role of biomass heating in an electrified world, and the increasing competition for biogenic CO2.
The European bioenergy sector should aim to exploit synergies with materials and efuels production, encouraged Dr Martin Junginger, Professor at the Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University.
Speakers also spotlighted innovative technologies and the critical importance of high-quality biomass certification as a foundation for sustainable growth.
Biomass is a renewable energy carrier, unlike other commercial renewable technologies. It is easy to store and does not depend on weather conditions, making it more reliable. That is why it is necessary to combine biomass with other renewables, to make the best out of it, explained Biljana Kulisic, Bioenergy Team member for the European Commission DG Energy – Decarbonisation and Sustainability of Energy Sources.
By fostering collaboration and dialogue among stakeholders, European Bioenergy Future 2024 served as a platform for advancing shared solutions to Europe’s energy challenges.
The change from the fossil fuel economy to a bio-based economy is an exciting opportunity for the bioenergy sector, expressed Jean-Marc Jossart, Bioenergy Europe’s Secretary General summing up the event.
