BioMatNet Item: FAIR-CT97-3826 - Development of a bioenergy market development plan for central Europe

FAIR-CT97-3826
Development of a bioenergy market development plan for central Europe

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Agricultural Residues : FAIR Area 1.1 - Biomass and Bioenergy Chain : Solid Biofuels : Straw : Wood (Lignocellulose)

	Type of Project	Concerted Action
	Contract No	FAIR-CT97-3826
	Total Cost	446,000 ECU
	EC Contribution	300,000 ECU
	Start Date	01/06/1998
	Duration	24 Months

Development of a bioenergy market development plan for central Europe

Background

Inventories of biomass production in the Central European Countries have been carried out. These activities show that there is a good opportunity for the production of cheap biomass in the eastern parts of Europe. The early development of a bioenergy market for these countries will increase the rate of transition to environmentally sound biomass production on a large scale.

Objectives

The objective is to develop a strong EC-related market strategy for bioenergy in the central and eastern part of Europe

Technical Approach

Activities will:

develop cost-effective routes for utilisation of agricultural and forest residues as bio-fuels
improve access to existing information on the whole chain of agriculture and forestry, enhancing the integration of R&D as well as implementation activities.

The consortium in this initiative contains twenty institutes, representing five West European EU countries, seven Central and East European countries and the three Baltic States.

These organisations are variously involved in research, development and implementation activities related to energy crop production, utilisation of agricultural and forestral residues, biomass processing and utilisation for energy purposes (both power/heat and transport fuels).

The project will include the following specific actions:

to develop standardized formats for presentation of agricultural, technical, environmental, economic and institutional aspects of the production, processing and utilisation of biomass for energy purposes in comprehensive national reports
to disseminate the current scientific and practical achievements on biomass energy for each country in the CEC and West Europe
to bring together representatives of the agricultural, energy, environmental and governmental sector from both West Europe and the CEC at the EC Bioenergy Conference in Würtzburg, Germany (1998) as well as at the First EC Bioenergy Market Strategy conference for CEC in Budapest (1999)
to establish sustainable research and cooperation relationships between currently existing West European Biomass Energy Networks, research institutes, agricultural organisations, energy companies and national governments through transfer of knowledge and know-how from West to East and vice versa
to stimulate removal of structural and country specific agricultural and technical bottle-necks to large-scale implementation
to involve the CEC-partners in the comprehensive internet web-sites of the EECI-Network, in which up-to-date scientific information and details of the practical achievements of the network members are presented
to further develop environmentaly sound bioenergy markets in CEC
to develop new initiatives on pilot and demonstration projects on production, processing and utilisation of energy crops in C&E Europe and the Baltic countries
to position and strongly improve the competitiveness of West European organisations and firms (manufacturers, R&D institutions, consultants, etc.) active in the whole field of bioenergy in CEC.

Results

The project activities started in autumn 1998. All partners came together for a kick-off meeting in October 1998 held at Sophia-Antipolis Foundation and attended the EC conference on Renewable Energy Technologies and Strategies in Central and Eastern European Countries.

Contacts

Coordinator

Alec Charles HOLLINGDALE / UNITED KINGDOM

Participant