EUBCE 2016

PRESS RELEASE EUBCE 2016 MONDAY OPENING

THE WORLD OF BIOMASS IS MEETING IN AMSTERDAM

Amsterdam, 6 June - This week the global bioenergy community gathers in Amsterdam. From 6th to 9th June, over 1400 registered participants from 81countries will animate the 24th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition. With over 786 presentations from 3732 authors and co-authors, 2 parallel events and 8 workshops, the EUBCE has become a world leading event to get the latest results from top research organizations, as well as to discover the most innovative bioenergy applications from industry and to hear from international experts, about the state of play and the policy context that are shaping this sector. EUBCE is also a prime event to promote business with match-making sessions, networking opportunities and social events throughout the week and over 40 exhibitors showcasing their innovations, products and advanced services.

Prof. André P.C. Faaij, this year's Conference General Chairman and Academic Director of Energy Academy Europe:

The EUBCE 2016 takes place at an important moment in time, the Climate Treaty from Paris leaves no room for further delays and bio-based options are needed as part of our mitigation strategies. Biomass needs to contribute with a mix of advanced fuels, power, heat, biomaterials and bioenergy with CCS, will be required in order to meet our GHG mitigation goals. Economically sustainable biomass potentials are sufficient to achieve this target, when combined with modernization of agriculture and good land management. We need to realize synergies with a more resilient food production, more efficient use of natural resources and increased carbon stocks. This can also bring rural development by shifting fossil fuel expenditures to rural areas, which can amount to several trillions of dollars per year. This conference is about delivering: how can sustainable bio-based options be developed and realized over time in different markets and settings. This motto is a leitmotiv, while at the same time an excellent and inspiring event can be enjoyed, that brings the best and brightest of the biobased community together.

Giovanni F. De Santi, Director, Institute for Energy and Transport, DG JRC, European Commission:

I am pleased that the JRC have contributed as a neutral broker to this conference by organising the scientific programme and ensuring a platform for scientific exchange and knowledge transfer between science, industry and business, at a time where energy and climate are high on the EU's and the international agenda. The JRC has a key and longstanding role providing scientific support across the whole policy cycle as regards biomass and bioenergy sustainability, availability and technological development. We are as well contributing to the comprehensive policy package of regulatory and research measures set out by the Energy Union, including bioenergy modelling work. I believe that this leading conference and exhibition provides the perfect place for a fruitful exchange with a vibrant industrial and research community gathered this week in Amsterdam.

Paula Abreu-Marques, Head of Unit - Renewables and CCS Policy DG Energy European Commission:

Sustainable bioenergy is an important component of the EU energy mix, playing a central role in the decarbonisation of the heat and cooling, electricity and transport sectors. The European Commission is currently working on a revised renewable energy package for the period after 2020, including updated bioenergy sustainability criteria. This will further promote bioenergy that delivers robust GHG reductions, while increasing energy security, creating jobs across the fuel supply chain and keeping costs down for consumers.

Peter-Paul Schouwenberg, Head Environment of RWE Generation Hard Coal, Gas & Biomass Continental Europe:

We realized – as a power production company with thermal power plants – that 50% biomass co-firing was not enough. If we want to enable the growth of wind and solar and continue delivering reliable power, we will need these power plants for many more years, depending on developments. But we need them to become climate neutral, so we need to increase our efforts and we need to share biomass, cascading its use to enable industry to become CO₂ neutral and to enable transportation to go to zero CO₂.

Dolf Gielen, Director of IRENA Innovation and Technology Centre, Germany:

Modern bioenergy is a critical renewable energy source for the coming decades but deployment is lagging and needs to be accelerated.

Paolo Frankl, Head of Renewable Energy Division, International Energy Agency, France:

Wind and solar get most of the attention today, at IEA we consider the need for a well balanced portfolio of renewable energies and there is absolutely no doubt that bioenergy is a crucial pillar of this portfolio.

Ralph Sims, University of Massey, Energy Research Centre, New Zealand:

When most people talk about "renewable energy" they imagine wind turbines and solar panels generating electricity. Using biomass resources for bioenergy heat and power is poorly understood as is "renewable heating and cooling" in general. Biofuels used for transport tend to have a poor image.
The Paris Climate Agreement has been signed by over 170 countries who next will have to ratify it. So now we have to do something. If the world is to stay well below 2 degrees Celsius global temperature rise, all countries will need to be far more ambitious in cutting greenhouse gas emissions than at present.
We will need all the help we can get, so bioenergy will have a key role to play.
There are good opportunities to reduce emissions by displacing coal, gas and oil with bio-heat, bio-electricity, and biofuels, as well as to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. But the public perception of using biomass resources for energy needs to be made clearer if biomass is to ever reach its full potential.

The European Biomass Conference And Exhibition

The EUBCE represents one of the key events on both a European and global scale for companies and professionals operating at the top end of the biomass and bioenergy sector. Held in a different city each year for over 30 years, the EUBCE has successfully combined a highly renowned international scientific conference with an ever-growing industry exhibition, thus rightfully earning its place as one of the world's most influential biomass sector events.
The EUBCE is supported by European and international organizations such as the European Commission, UNESCO - United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization - Natural Sciences Sector, the Netherlands Enterprise Agency, the Global Bioenergy Partnership, the Central European Initiative, WCRE - the World Council for Renewable Energy, EUBIA - the European Biomass Industry Association and other organisations.
The Technical Programme is coordinated by DG Joint Research Centre of the European Commission.

More information on www.eubce.com

INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT