Webinar: Seeing the Wood for the Trees

The World Bioenergy Association (WBA) is hosting the hybrid conference Seeing the wood for the trees: possible implications of REDIII on renewable energy development & EU energy security. The event will take place in Brussels and online on 7 September, 12:30-14:00 CEST and will hear views from the forestry, policymaking, academic and analyst communities on the potential impact which REDIII could have on EU biomass – and in turn renewable energy markets. Registration is open; find more information on Euractiv’s website.

Public Consultation on Forest Monitoring and Strategic Plans

The Commission has opened a public consultation to gather the views of all relevant stakeholders on how to assess the state of forests, monitor them and develop strategic visions. This will also include more detailed information with a view to conducting a thorough impact assessment and developing the proposal. Feedback can be provided until 17 November (midnight, Brussels time). For more information, please contact Daniel Reinemann.

Updated Position Paper on REDIII Sustainability

In light of the upcoming plenary vote in September on the sustainability criteria for bioenergy in REDIII, the Secretariat has prepared an updated version of Bioenergy Europe’s REDIII position. The purpose of the paper is to clearly explain Bioenergy Europe’s views on the RED revision, and members are encouraged to use the arguments found in this paper in their activities when meeting with policymakers. For more information, please contact Daniel Reinemann.

European Conference Biomass PowerON 2022

Registration is now open for the 4th edition of the European Conference Biomass PowerON! Taking place in Hamburg, Germany on 28-29 September, it will feature companies, commodity traders energy consultancies, regulatory and research experts, and many more. Organised by FORTES, the focus will be on using biomass in residential heating and power generation. This is a wonderful opportunity to showcase your products, attend workshops and network with industry leaders! Download the agenda here. 

Update on CEO Letter

The Secretariat has received an answer from the EC to the open letter that was sent to high-level EU representatives, urging them to properly include bioenergy in the REPowerEU Communication and signed by more than 500 CEOs and high-level representatives from the bioenergy value-chain. For more information, please contact Irene di Padua.

AGRI Committee Approves New EU Forest Strategy

The Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI) committee approved the new Forest Strategy passed with 30 votes in favour, 2 opposed, and 10 abstentions. The Strategy recognises the multifunctional role of forests and stresses the importance and diversity of EU forests, calling for sustainable management practices to be developed with forest owners. A vote on the Strategy is expected in the Plenary in September. For more information, please contact Daniel Reinemann.

ITRE Vote on REDIII & EED

+ The ITRE Committee vote on REDIII is being held today and will be closely followed by the Secretariat. The draft proposal is an improvement from the Commission’s document; however, the Committee will not vote on any provisions related to biomass sustainability criteria due to ENVI’s exclusive competence over these sections. The proposal is expected to be put to a Plenary vote in September. For more information, please contact Daniel Reinemann.
+ In today’s committee meeting, the ITRE Committee also voted on the Energy Efficiency Directive recast (EED) and adopted the opinion. The final text will be voted on in Plenary in September. For more information, please contact Irene di Padua.

EU Innovation Fund Call

The call for small-scale projects is open until 31 August. As a reminder, the budgetary envelope being allocated (EUR 100 million) would finance at least 22 projects (in case each project requests the maximum grant amount possible). Potential applicants can assess through a self-check questionnaire if their project fits the objectives of the fund. Under the REPowerEU Plan, the Commission will double the funding for the next Innovation Fund large-scale call to ~ EUR 3 billion.