About
The working group on renewable fuels and bioenergy, established in 2016, focuses on bioenergy and renewable fuels for sustainable transport.
Sustainable bioenergy is key to:
- reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the EU energy mix
- decreasing fossil fuel dependence
- building a circular economy.
The working group monitors the progress made on the targets set in its Implementation Plan (IP). This is done in cooperation with SET Plan countries, industry, academia and EU institutions.
The working group is supported by SET4BIO, an EU financed coordination and support action project. The European Technology Innovation Platform (ETIP) Bioenergy and European Energy Research Alliance (EERA) Bioenergy also support the working group's activities.
Targets and objectives
Bioenergy will play a key role in the energy transition and help achieve a sustainable society. In 2018, the working group produced the renewable fuels and bioenergy IP.
The IP addresses the following targeted technologies:
- renewable fuels for transport
- other renewable fuels of non-biological origin
- bioenergy intermediate carriers
- renewable hydrogen
- large-scale biomass CHP.
Strategic targets are structured by technologies and include:
- Renewable fuels for sustainable transport
- improve production performance of advanced biofuels and other renewable liquid and gaseous fuels
- improve greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions savings
- reduce costs for end biofuel products, reduce cost for renewable liquid and gaseous fuels
- Bioenergy
- reduce conversion system costs
- improve performance and reduce GHG emissions by increasing efficiency
- Intermediate bioenergy carriers
- improve performance and reduce cost for intermediate bioenergy carriers.
Currently, the working group is updating the targets included in its IP to comply with the new policy framework, particularly the ambitions of the Renewable Energy Directive for 2030 and 2050.
Composition
The group is co-chaired by Finland and Italy, and includes 12 other European countries.
Participating SET Plan countries (in alphabetical order):
- Austria
- Belgium
- Cyprus
- Finland (Co-chair)
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Italy (Co-chair)
- Netherlands
- Poland
- Portugal
- Spain
- Sweden
- Türkiye (Associated Country)
Documents
Key members
- IWG Chair: Timo Ritonummi, Deputy Director General, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, Finland
- IWG Co-chair: Franco Cotana
- ETIP Bioenergy Chair: Patrik Klintbom, Coordinator SET4BIO