Biomass imports to Europe and global availability

Project Number 340

The share of renewable energy sources used in electricity generation in the European Union must rise to approx. 34 % in 2020. Apart from wind energy, biomass has to play an important role in the EU to meet the 2020 targets.

From the view of utilities the practical experiences do not show how the targets can be realistically reached based on available domestic biomass potentials.

The main objective of the industry-oriented study "Biomass imports to Europe and global availability" is to evaluate the 2020 renewable energy targets in EU 27 based on domestic solid biomass supply potentials, supplemented by imports.

Within the first part of the study a realistic assessment of existing domestic biomass potentials in the EU 27 member states will be performed (categories: forestry biomass, agriculture biomass, organic waste). In addition, a plausibility check of projected growth rates in respect to existing sustainable potentials for the three main biomass categories will be carried out. As a result of these assessments the needed biomass import to Europe will be calculated.

In the second part the global available biomass volumes, which can be exported to Europe, will be analysed for the regions North America, South America, Africa, Eastern Europe (Non EU) and Russia. The biomass types will focus on clean wood, harvesting residues and plantations, forest industry by-products and agricultural energy crops. In addition, the typical indicative production costs of pellets and wood chips will be calculated.
The study will be carried out in close co-operation between Pöyry, VGB (European Working Group Biomass), and EURELECTRIC.