Bioenergy

Jönköping (Sweden) will once again be hosting World Bioenergy, the sixth edition of this international gathering of bioenergy stakeholders, from 29 - 31 May 2012. The meeting is in fact a number of parallel conferences, covering a key range of issues.

A new EU energy initiative which will provide access to sustainable energy for an additional 500 million people in developing countries by 2030 was today announced by European Commission President, José Manuel Barroso.

The annual EurObserv’ER report ‘The State of Renewable Energies in Europe’ has been released, which gives background information on renewable energy realisations and renewable energy shares in Europe. It also presents estimates for renewable energy related employment and turnover in EU Member States.

Materials are at the core of industrial innovation and enable it. The materials presented in this new Roadmap complement and expand the technology roadmaps developed in the context of the SET-Plan as the basis for its implementation. It puts forward key materials research and innovation activities to advance energy technologies for the next 10 years.

The third edition of the Technology Map, i.e. the 2011 update, addresses 20 different technologies, covering the whole spectrum of the energy system, including both supply and demand technologies.

The 'Renewable Energy Snapshots' are based on various data providers, including grey data sources, and try to give an overview about the latest developments and trends in different renewable energy technologies.

SETIS is pleased to announce that the Call for demonstration and flagship project proposals within the European Bioenergy Industrial Initiative, which was closed on 14th September, received more than 50 expressions of interest. Experts selected by the EIBI Team will evaluate the proposals in the coming weeks.

The geothermal, hydropower and biomass industries have outlined their recommendations in a position paper for the elaboration of the energy 2050 strategy. The European Commission is set to formally present its Energy Roadmap 2050 in autumn 2011.

On Friday, 15 July, a call for expressions of interest for 'Implementing the European Bioenergy Industrial Initiative' will be published.

On 1st July 2011, the Commission launched a new European Energy Efficiency Fund (EEE-F) as part of the European Energy Programme for Recovery (EEPR).

A new IEA report describes how cogeneration is attractive to policy-makers, private users and investors because it delivers a range of energy, environmental and economic benefits.

On 8th March 2011, the EC adopted its Communication, "Energy Efficiency Plan 2011", which puts energy efficiency at the heart of the Europe 2020 Strategy for what it calls “smart, sustainable and inclusive growth and the transition to a resource efficient economy.”

The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is holding a conference in Pécs (Hungary) on 29th April 2011 on how EU energy policy can ensure security of supply and how we can strengthen the external dimension of EU energy policy.

The European Commission, the Presidency of the European Union, the co-Chairs and Members of the SET-Plan Steering Group, and high-level representatives of Industry launched in Brussels on 15 November 2010, two more industrial initiatives of the European Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET-Plan). The European Industrial Initiatives launched were: 'Bioenergy' and 'Nuclear'.

Despite the effects of the global economic crisis, investment in low-carbon technologies has remained comparatively stable in recent years. The crisis has, however, reinforced the importance of the financial impetus needed to bring low-carbon energy technologies on stream. Financing the development and installation of low-carbon energy is currently a political priority, but increased investment for these energy technologies is needed at both EU and international levels.