|
ETIP Bioenergy - SABS Newsletter 4 | November 2017
|
 |
 |
| |
On 27 October 2017 the Steering Committee has reached agreement on the position paper of the platform on the RED II proposal. Read the full paper here.
Key recommendations:
- ETIP Bioenergy believes that sustainable bioenergy has a key role to play to reduce GHG emissions in the EU energy mix, as required by the Paris Climate Agreement, and decrease our fossil fuel dependence. The promotion of bioenergy in the EU should be based on sound sustainability criteria, including a high GHG emissions reduction performance. As for the use of biofuels in transport, attention should be given to the need for high quality biofuels so that they can be successfully introduced and gain high market shares.
- ETIP Bioenergy welcomes the new binding obligation for low emission and renewable fuels including a separate share for certain biofuels (Annex IX, part A). It, however,
- questions the relatively low level of ambition for renewables and low emission fuels (6.8% by 2030). This objective seems incompatible with the need to strongly decarbonise the transport sector up to 2050 and should be set significantly higher;
- supports that a specific minimum sub target for advanced biofuels produced from Annex IX Part A feedstocks (distinct from Annex IX Part B) should be defined. However, Part A also contains feedstocks that can be converted by conventional technologies into biofuels with application potential, we are concerned that this waters down the incentive for advanced technologies. Furthermore, specific measures will be required to ensure a sufficiently stable market for a sustainable deployment of advanced biofuels based on lignocellulosic feedstocks, taking into consideration their higher market and technology risks. Moreover, EU biofuel policy U-turns in the past decade have effectively stalled investments and should not be repeated;
- is concerned by the proposed gradual phase out of crop-based biofuels: it does not take into account that many crops-based biofuels have good actual GHG performances, including low ILUC. We call for more refined regulations for crop based biofuels, with specific incentives and disincentives: to allow for further development of sustainable crop-based biofuels with low risk and improved performance, and to eliminate unsustainable practices. There is significant existing capacity of EU crop-based biofuels which can contribute to 2030 climate goals without bringing the adverse side effects that led to the phase-out policy, and this volume can be further increased with the appropriate incentives in place.
- The RED II also covers synthetic fuels from renewable hydrogen and fossil CO2. While in principle, this route could provide new opportunities, there is a clear risk of CO2 leakage effects and improper administration of emissions. It is pivotal that a scientifically sound method for estimating GHG merits is developed and agreed upon. While the hydrogen could be produced by renewable electricity, when mixed with CO2 such fuels should not be termed renewable unless the carbon content is of non-fossil origin (e.g. from biomass or air capture), in which case they may be treated equally with biofuels. For all such fuels, the same minimum requirements for CO2 reduction should apply (as compared with conventional fossil fuels) as will apply to biofuels.
Patrik Klintbom appointed Vice Chair of ETIP Bioenergy
|
|
We are delighted to announce the appointment of Patrik Klintbom as the new Vice Chair of the European Technology and Innovation Platform Bioenergy (ETIP Bioenergy). The ETIP Bioenergy Steering Committee approved his nomination in Brussels on the 10th of October 2017 meeting, with the intention that Patrik succeeds Ingvar Landälv as Chair in spring 2018.
|
Horizon 2020 work programme 2018-2020 published
|
The European Commission has published the final Work Programme for Horizon 2020, covering the budgetary years 2018, 2019 and 2020 and representing an investment of around 30 billion. Spanning seven years (2014 - 2020) and with a budget of 77 billion, Horizon 2020 is the biggest EU research and innovation funding programme ever.
|
|
|
Biofuture Summit 2017
|
|
Governments, international agencies affirm the need to massively increase bioenergy and byproducts to fight climate change. According to projections of international energy agencies, the use of bioenergy as a share of the worlds energy usage needs to more than double by 2030 if the world is to avoid temperature rises above 2º C. We simply have no choice. We have to massively scale up bioenergy, and do it fast, says Paolo Frankl, Head of the Renewable Energy Division at the International Energy Agency (IEA).
|
Upcoming Events
SET-Plan Conference 2017
29 November - 1 December 2017, Bratislava, Slovkia
The 10th annual SET Plan conference conjoined with the 11th Central European Energy Conference (CEEC XI) is held under the auspices of the Estonian Presidency of the Council of the EU. In 2017 the SET Plan marks its 10th year anniversary. The conference will review the role of the SET Plan as the technological pillar of the EU energy policy, including its achievements over the last decade.
|
|
|
Join the platform
ETIP Bioenergy is a wide and open forum, therefore stakeholders are welcome from all parties involved with the development of sustainable bioenergy: agricultural & forest products producers and common interest groups, industry and industry associations, research and technology organisations, academia, governmental bodies, civil society, the general public.
Contact us at secretariat@etip-bioenergy.eu
www.etipbioenergy.eu
|
|
- Get connected to stakeholders from around Europe engaged in bioenergy-based solutions and biofuels
- Actively influence the development of biofuels and bioenergy in Europe
- Learn about best practices regarding market implementation, commercialization and deployment of new technologies
|
|
|
|
This newsletter is produced on behalf of the ETIP Bioenergy by the ETIP Bioenergy-SABS project team, funded under Horizon 2020. The broad aim of ETIP Bioenergy-SABS is to enhance communications and networking among Advanced Bioenergy Stakeholders from research, industry, government, NGOs, feedstocks production, end use and related areas in all European countries. The contents of this newsletter are copyright © ETIP Bioenergy-SABS 2017
 This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 727509
Important Disclaimer
The content of this newsletter cannot be considered as the European Commissions official position and neither the European Commission, ETIP Bioenergy-SABS, ETIP Bioenergy nor any person acting on behalf of these organisation is responsible for the use which might be made of it. Although ETIP Bioenergy-SABS endeavours to deliver a high level of service, no guarantee can be given on the correctness or completeness of the content of this newsletter and neither the European Commission, ETIP Bioenergy nor ETIP Bioenergy-SABS are responsible or may be held accountable for any loss suffered as a result of reliance upon the content of this newsletter.
|
|
| |
This email was sent by: ETA-Florence Renewable Energies, Via A. Giacomini 28, Firenze, 50132 Italy
|
|
|
|
