New initiative to promote advanced biofuels in Europe
In 2008, the EU agreed on the Renewable Energy Directive, which set a target for individual Member States to deliver 10 % renewable energy in transport by 2020. Advanced biofuels or second-generation biofuels are instrumental in helping EU countries meet this target. It is also imperative that biofuels produced or consumed in the EU be produced in a sustainable and environmentally friendly manner. Established in 2006, the European Biofuels Technology Platform (EBTP) has been supporting the development of cost-competitive biofuel value chains and the acceleration of their sustainable deployment. Funded by the EU, the EBTP-SABS (European Biofuels Technology Platform – Support for advanced biofuels stakeholders) project further supported the activities of the EBTP. Through EBTP-SABS, EBTP stakeholders received updated information about technological, market, political, regulatory and financial developments and deployment activities such as the set-up, commissioning and operation of pilot and demonstration facilities, and surrounding research. Specific focus was placed on supporting the European Industrial Bioenergy Initiative, and on facilitating the implementation and updating of the EBTP Strategic Research Agenda. EBTP-SABS motivated discussion and interaction of EBTP with a wide range of stakeholders in research, industry, government and non-governmental organisations, sharing expertise in four different areas. The first cutting-edge issue addressed was on how to improve biomass feedstock sustainability through logistics, land use and production of diverse feedstocks. Stakeholders highlighted innovative industrial-scale technologies for the conversion of feedstocks to high quality fuels. Project activities underpinned the key role of biofuels in the energy and climate strategy of the EU. So far, they are the only renewable energy carrier that significantly contributes to the energy demand of the transport sector. Countries in central, east and south-east Europe hold great promise for the development of biofuels and their bioeconomy. Particular attention was also paid to involving in the biofuels debate a number of stakeholders from acceding countries, which have relevant potential yet to be capitalised. In 2016 following the new approach of the European Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET-Plan), EBTP transformed into the European Technology and Innovation Platform Bioenergy (ETIP Bioenergy), which continues these activities.
Keywords
Biofuel, transport, European Biofuels Technology Platform, EBTP-SABS, European Industrial Bioenergy Initiative, ETIP Bioenergy
