EU will need more biomass in years to come

The demand for biomass will likely significantly grow in EU within the next decade. At the Biomass Asia conference in Kuala Lumpur; Malaysia, the Ambassador and Head of Delegation of the European Union, Luc Vandebon, acknowledged the big role that biomass plays in achieving EU renewable energy targets.

Among other things he stated that biomass' share in EU renewable energy mix was almost two thirds or 65.4 % of all renewable energy consumed in 2010, and that biomass will play vital role if EU is to achieve its climate targets by 2020.

The domestic EU biomass sources which are sourced predominantly from the forestry sector, followed by agriculture, fisheries and waste will likely not be enough to supply the growing demand meaning that EU will need more biomass from abroad.

Vandebon predicts that approximately  8 percent of biomass will be imported, mainly in the form of pellets and wood chips, by 2020.

Biomass industry is already a significant player on EU energy market and the growing demand for biomass will no doubt help further develop EU bioenergy market.

EU will in years to come focus more on sustainable biomass production and is currently considering to develop the existing EU sustainability framework to include solid biomass and biogas.

Sustainability is the key to future biomass production and consumption and all companies involved must be aware of that.  This is what EU expects from its current and future trade partners.