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New Energy World™
New Energy World™ embraces the whole energy industry as it connects and converges to address the decarbonisation challenge. It covers progress being made across the industry, from the dynamics under way to reduce emissions in oil and gas, through improvements to the efficiency of energy conversion and use, to cutting-edge initiatives in renewable and low-carbon technologies.
Biomass production faces threat under new EU proposal
15/2/2023
6 min read
Feature
Biomass, the leading source of renewable energy in the European Union (EU), is under threat from ‘controversial’ proposals under RED III (Renewable Energy Directive III). The new directive aims to cap the use of primary woody biomass and end significant subsidies by the end of 2026. New Energy World EU correspondent Sara Lewis in Brussels considers the issues.
According to Bioenergy Europe, 69.6% of biomass energy feedstock used in Europe comes from woody biomass, including forestry and wood industry residues, with the remaining 18.3% sourced from agricultural biomass and 12.1% from biowaste. This bioenergy makes up 56.8% of the EU renewable energy mix, with 74.5% used for heating, 13.5% for transport and 12% for electricity. Around 53% of Europe’s bioenergy consumption is industrial and the remainder is used by individual consumers.
Only 4.3% of biomass consumed in the EU is imported from outside the bloc, offering vital energy security in the current crisis caused by the Ukraine conflict. But that is now in jeopardy because of EU policy switches.
Heated debate
European Parliament amendments to the European Commission’s (EC) July 2021 proposal to revise the EU Renewable Energy Directive (RED) – the so called RED III – could topple biomass from its renewables throne and end an estimated €10bn in subsidies. The EU executive has proposed that member states should design support schemes in line with a ‘biomass cascading principle’, which prioritises alternative biomass material uses, such as making MDF, plywood, furniture and cardboard, rather than energy use wherever possible.