While some progress has been made since the COVID-19 outbreak, the European Union (EU) is still too reliant on imported fossil fuels posing risks to energy security, Bioenergy Europe's 2023 Statistical Report Landscape finds.
Bioenergy Europe has released its 2023 Statistical Report Landscape along with the accompanying Policy Brief that presents an overview of the bioenergy landscape, providing information on the general EU energy mix and the different energy sources in EU27.
While some progress has been made since the COVID-19 outbreak, the European Union (EU) is still too reliant on imported fossil fuels posing risks to energy security.
To achieve an impactful energy transition, we shall give a clear political signal to energy consumers about the end of fossil fuels. A climate strategy must address the progressive and methodical ban on fossil fuels, otherwise, it is doomed to fail, stated Jean-Marc Jossart Secretary General of Bioenergy Europe.
In 2021, the consumption of fossil fuels stayed under pre-pandemic levels, except for natural gas for which 2021 consumption levels are around 1 percent above that of 2019.
Renewables continued their growth despite lockdowns, showcasing their resilience and reliability. However, 2021 data shows that imported fossil fuels still represent more than half of the EU’s energy mix.
Therefore, according to Bioenergy Europe, the EU should incentivize domestic renewable sources, such as sustainable bioenergy, and set a clear fossil fuels exit strategy to reduce its carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions while strengthening its energy independence.
Biomass remains the main renewable energy source within the EU27, accounting for approximately 10.2 percent of the gross final energy consumption and 55.7 percent of renewables’ final energy consumption in 2021.
It is sustainable and domestically sourced with only 4.7 percent import dependency and is an alternative that can contribute to energy security.
With a new EU target of 42.5 percent renewables in 2030, bioenergy, together with other renewables, is expected to play a growing role in the decarbonized future. To ensure that future, Bioenergy Europe has outlined three recommendations for EU policymakers:
- The EU needs to incentivize domestic renewable sources, such as sustainable bioenergy, and set a clear fossil fuels exit strategy to increase its energy security;
- Bioenergy is one of the few available solutions for decarbonizing energy-intensive industries where high temperatures and pressure are required. A suitable policy framework promoting synergies between bioenergy and the industrial sector should be further developed;
- Carbon removal activities will be needed to achieve the EU’s carbon neutrality target. To this end, investing in negative emissions technologies, such as bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) and biochar, should become a priority and clear targets must be set at the EU level.
