Brief on biomass for energy in the European Union123

Brief on biomass for energy in the European Union

123

This brief is based on data from the National Renewable Energy Action Plans (NREAPs) and Progress Reports from

Member States (under Article 4 and Article 22 of the Directive 2009/28/EC), as well as from Eurostat energy statistics

(2018a, 2018b).

Here "biomass" means the biodegradable fraction of products, waste and residues from biological origin from agriculture,

including vegetal and animal substances, from forestry and related industries, including fisheries and aquaculture, as well

as the biodegradable fraction of waste, including industrial and municipal waste of biological origin as defined in the

Directive of the European Parliament and the Council on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources (EU,

2018). Bioenergy is the energy produced from biomass.

European Union, comprising of the following 28 Member States (MS): Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus,

Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg,

Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom.

Key messages

1. Biomass

for energy (bioenergy) continues to be the main source of renewable energy in

the EU

, with a share of almost 60%. The heating and cooling sector is the largest end-

user, using about 75% of all bioenergy (see section 1).

2. Bioenergy contributes to the EU’s energy security, as most of the demand is met from

domestically produced biomass (about 96% in 2016) (see section 2).

3. Forestry is the main source of biomass for energy (logging residues, wood-processing

residues, fuelwood, etc.). Wood pellets, mainly for heating and electricity production,

have become an important energy carrier (see section 3).

4. Germany, France, Italy, Sweden and the UK are the largest bioenergy consumers in

absolute terms, while the Scandinavian and Baltic countries, as well as Austria, consume

the most bioenergy per capita (see section 4).

5. Bioenergy can play a key role in achieving the EU's renewable energy targets for 2030

and beyond. However, biomass for energy must be produced, processed and used in a

sustainable and efficient way in order to optimise greenhouse gas savings and maintain

ecosystem services, all without causing deforestation or degradation of habitats or loss

of biodiversity (see section 5).

1. What is the contribution of bioenergy to renewable energy in the EU?

Bioenergy is derived from a wide range of feedstocks, such as biomass from agriculture (crop residues,

bagasse, animal waste, energy crops, etc.), forestry (logging residues, wood processing by-products, black

liquor from the pulp and paper industry, fuelwood, etc.), and other types of biological waste (food waste,

food industry waste, the organic fraction of municipal solid waste, etc.). Bioenergy continues to be the main

source of renewable energy in the EU in terms of gross final consumption

, notwithstanding the rapid growth

of wind and solar power over the past decade. Bioenergy (heat, electricity and transport fuels) contributed

116 Mtoe (59% of all renewables and 10% of all energy sources, see Figure 1) to the gross final energy

consumption in 2016. In terms of end use, the largest sector is heating and cooling (H&C), which accounts

for about 75% of all bioenergy consumed. Bioelectricity and transport biofuels account for 13% and 12%

respectively.

Figure 1. Share of renewables in the EU's gross final energy consumption for 2016 and breakdown of the bioenergy

contribution. Source: Eurostat 2018b and NREAP Progress Reports.

2. Where is biomass used for bioenergy production in the EU sourced from?

Biomass supply for bioenergy (i.e. primary energy) in the EU reached 140 Mtoe in 2016. Of this, 96% was

sourced from within the EU and the remaining 4% was imported from non-EU countries. EU-sourced

biomass is mostly transformed into energy in the Member State in which it is produced, with only 7.2%

being converted into energy in a different Member State (see Figure 2).

Figure 2. Origin of biomass supplied for energy in 2016 in the EU-28. Source: NREAP Progress Reports.

Gross final consumption of energy, as defined in Article 2 of Directive 2009/28/EC (EC 2009) and EC 2018, means: the

energy commodities delivered for energy purposes to industry, transport, households, services including public services,

agriculture, forestry and fisheries; the consumption of electricity and heat by the energy branch for electricity; heat and

transport fuel production; and losses of electricity and heat in distribution and transmission.

Non-renewables

951 941 ktoe

(83%)

Other

renew ables

79 782 ktoe

(40.8%)

Bioenergy

115 694 ktoe

(59.2%)

Renewable

energies

195 476 ktoe

(17%)

Biomass

H&C

74.6%

Bioelectricity

13.4%

Transport

biofuels

12.0%

92.8%

7.2%

96%

Biomass

for energy

(140 Mtoe)

Imported into EU

Produced in the EU

Transformed in source MS

Transformed in different MS

While the data on imports only covers direct trade of biomass for energy, additional biomass feedstock may

come through indirect trade, such as starch and oil crops for food and feed that could be partially used for

biofuels. In addition, some by-products from the processing of imported roundwood or wood chips are used

for bioenergy generation. The quantification of indirect trade is complex and depends on the end uses, the

conversion efficiency of raw materials, the production processes, etc.

3. Which sources contribute most to the supply of biomass for energy?

Forestry accounts for more than 60% of all EU domestic biomass supplied for energy purposes: in 2016,

direct supply of woody biomass from forests and other wooded land contributed 32.5% (44 Mtoe), and

indirect supply of wood contributed another 28.2% (38 Mtoe) (see Figure 3)

. Almost 27% (36 Mtoe)

originated from agricultural biomass (equally from agricultural crops and agricultural by-products), with

waste (municipal, industrial, etc.) making up the remaining 12.4% (17 Mtoe). In 2016, the share sourced

from forestry was already higher than that foreseen in the NREAP projections for 2020, while the share from

agricultural by-products and waste lagged behind the 2020 projections.

Figure 3. Domestic biomass supplied for energy in 2006, 2016 (EU country data) and initial projections for 2020

(according to the projections in the National Renewable Energy Action Plans)

. Source: NREAPs, NREAP Progress Reports.

Wood is the most important single source of energy from renewables in many Member States. Latvia (29%),

Finland (24%), Sweden (20%), Lithuania (17%) and Denmark (15%) had the largest share of wood and

wood products in gross inland consumption of energy

(Eurostat 2018a). A large proportion of solid biomass is

used directly by households and other final consumers (industries, services, agriculture/forestry). The use of

fuelwood in households is particularly important in France, Italy, Germany, Romania and Poland.

Wood pellets have become an important energy carrier traded on a large scale and over long distances, due

to their high energy density

and stable characteristics. Global production reached 29 million tonnes in 2016,

of which more than 50% was produced in the EU. The EU is also the main consumer globally (23 million

tonnes, of which 32.6% is consumed in the UK, 9.1% in Italy, 8.7% in Germany, 8.7% in Denmark and

7.4% in Sweden). In some Member States, the consumption of wood pellets relies mostly on imports, e.g.

the UK (94.7%) and Italy (81%). Wood pellets are mostly used in the residential sector for heating (in Italy,

Austria, etc.) or for electricity production (in the UK, Austria, etc.).

According to Commission Decision C(2009) 5174 (EC 2009):

- Direct supply of woody biomass from forests and other wooded land for energy generation includes: fellings, residues

from fellings (tops, branches, bark, stumps) or landscape management residues (woody biomass from parks,

gardens, tree rows, bushes).

- Indirect supply of woody biomass includes: residues from sawmilling, woodworking, furniture industry (bark,

sawdust), by-products of the pulp and paper industry (black liquor, tall oil) or processed fuelwood, post-consumer

recycled wood (recycled wood for energy generation, household waste wood).

Wood pellets have a Lower Heating Value of 17.5 GJ/tonne on average (1 tonne=0.418 toe)

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140

Total

Waste

Agricultural by-products

Agricultural crops

Indirect wood supply

Direct wood supply

Domestic EU Primary Energy Supply (Mtoe)

2006 2016 2020

Agricultural crops represented the largest source of feedstock for biofuel production (72% of about 14 Mtoe

used in transport in 2016

), with various waste products and residues contributing to the remainder (28%).

Most of the biofuels were produced from domestic feedstock, with less than 7% imported in 2016,

confirming a trend towards fewer imports over the past few years.

4. Who are the largest consumers of bioenergy?

Germany, France, Italy, Sweden and the UK are the top five EU Member States as regards gross inland

consumption

of bioenergy according to 2016 data, considering both domestic production and imports of the

bioenergy carriers (Figure 4a). Those countries also experienced the highest levels of growth in bioenergy

consumption over the period 2005-2016 (Figure 5). During that period, bioenergy consumption in the EU

increased by more than 60%. On the other hand, the Scandinavian and Baltic countries, as well as Austria,

are the largest consumers on a per-capita basis (Figure 4b).

a) b)

Figure 4. Gross inland bioenergy consumption

in EU Member States in 2016: total in Mtoe (a) and per capita in kgoe/per

capita (b). Source: Eurostat 2018a

Within the bioenergy sector, bioelectricity has experienced the most significant relative growth over this

period (about 160% increase at EU level) as a result of various support schemes. In 2016, Germany, the

UK, Italy, Finland and Sweden were the largest bioelectricity consumers, and Germany, France, Sweden,

Italy and Finland the largest consumers of bioheat (Figure 6). The biofuels for the transport sector are

mainly consumed in France, Germany, Sweden, Spain, Italy and the UK, with a large gap between their

consumption and that of the rest of the Member States.

This figure includes only compliant biofuels - as of 2011 those in compliance with the sustainability requirements of

Articles 17 and 18 of Directive 2009/28/EC (EU, 2009).

Gross inland energy consumption represents the quantity of energy necessary to satisfy inland consumption and covers

the consumption by the energy sector itself, the distribution and transformation losses, and the final energy consumption

by end users. It is defined as primary production plus imports, recovered products and stock changes, minus exports and

fuel supply to maritime bunkers (Eurostat 2018c).

Figure 5. Variation in gross final bioenergy consumption (ktoe)

in EU Member States between 2005 and 2016.

Source: Eurostat 2018a and NREAP Progress Reports. Note: Biofuels data includes only those biofuels that are compliant

with sustainability criteria, as provided by the Renewable Energy Directive

a) b)

-3 000 0 3 000 6 000

Bioheat

-2 000 0 2 000 4 000

Bioelectricity

0 1 000 2 000 3 000

Biofuels

-5 000 0 5 000 10 000

Bioenergy

Figure 6. Gross final consumption of

bioheat (a), bioelectricity (b), and

transport biofuels (c) in EU Member States

in 2016. Source: Eurostat 2018b and

NREAP Progress Reports.

→

Variation in gross final bioenergy consumption (2005-2016 ktoe)

5. What role can bioenergy play in the future?

Bioenergy plays an important role in helping to meet the EU's 2020 target of 20% renewable energy. Under

the 2010 National Renewable Energy Action Plans, total biomass demand for electricity, heating and

transport is planned to reach 178 Mtoe by 2020. As seen in Section 2, by 2016 the biomass supply for

energy had reached 140 Mtoe. However, growth has been slower than foreseen. The domestically sourced

biomass supply (almost 135 Mtoe, see Figure 3) will need to increase by 7.4% to reach the planned 2020

level. While the share from the forestry sector is above the expected level (already 81 Mtoe in comparison to

the 76 Mtoe level expected for 2020), the supply from agricultural crops would need to increase by 29% and

from agricultural by-products by 17%. However, the largest relative increase is needed in bioenergy from

waste, where 42% growth would be required to reach 23.7 Mtoe by 2020.

Looking further ahead, the EU has recently adopted a 32% target for renewables in total gross final energy

consumption by 2030. Overall, the bioenergy sector has grown substantially and the 2016 data shows good

progress towards the 2030 target. In line with the trend noted above for biomass (i.e. primary energy

supply), the EU's gross inland bioenergy consumption increased by more than 69% during the period 2005-

2016, but this growth rate has fallen since 2010 (from an average annual growth rate of 7.9% in 2005-2010

to 2.6% in the period 2011-2016).

The Commission's long-term vision for a prosperous, modern, competitive and climate-neutral economy

estimates that, by 2050, the gross inland consumption of bioenergy will amount to between 170 and 252

Mtoe (depending on the scenario). Figure 7 combines the 2005-2016 reported data for bioenergy and

projections of bioenergy consumption, based on eight scenarios for mitigation options

Figure 7. Gross inland bioenergy consumption during the period 2005-2016 and projections until 2050 based on mitigation

scenarios. Sources: Eurostat 2018b and In-depth analysis of the European Commission (EC 2018)

There are significant opportunities for developing the use of agricultural residues and by-products, as well as

waste. Biogas production is based on the use of various waste products and residues, landfill gas and energy

crops (energy grasses, silage maize, etc.). The EU is the world leader in biogas electricity production (more

than 10 GW and 17 400 biogas plants installed in 2015) as well as in biomethane production for use as a

vehicle fuel or for injection into the natural gas grid (459 plants producing 1.2 billion m

) (Scarlat et al.,

2018). Perennial energy grasses and short rotation coppices cultivated in a sustainable manner can play an

important role as feedstock for gasification and pyrolysis in the production of biogas and biofuels. They

represent one of the few alternatives for decarbonising the air transport, road freight and maritime sectors

as well as for replacing fossil fuel methane in the gas grid.

Furthermore, the use of bioenergy combined with carbon capture and storage (CCS)

represents a

promising negative emissions technology, especially in bioenergy installations with large and highly

See the in-depth analysis accompanying COM(2018) 773 (EC 2018). A Clean Planet for all. A European long-term

strategic vision for a prosperous, modern, competitive and climate neutral economy

(https://ec.europa.eu/clima/sites/clima/files/docs/pages/com_2018_733_analysis_in_support_en_0.pdf).

100

150

200

250

300

Gross inland bioenergy consumption

(Mtoe)

Eurostat statistics

Modelling

divergence

Projections

concentrated CO

flue gases (to overcome the high capital costs of CO

capture). However, its role will

depend on its ability to supply large amounts of biomass in a sustainable way and the development of CCS

technologies.

Bioenergy can also play a significant role as a flexible producer, balancing the power system and allowing for

higher shares of variable renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind, in the electricity grid.

Integrated bioenergy hybrids that combine bioenergy with solar thermal, concentrated solar power, heat

pumps and waste heat recovery can ensure flexible options for both energy (heat and power) supply and

energy storage.

The key condition for bioenergy development is the availability of reliable, affordable and sustainable

biomass

. Biomass production and use involves a chain of activities ranging from the growing and

harvesting of feedstocks, processing, conversion and distribution of bioenergy carriers to final energy use.

Each step can pose different sustainability challenges that need to be managed. The environmental

performance of a bioenergy source depends on the specific characteristics of those steps in the value chain

and should therefore be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

If well managed, bioenergy pathways can deliver significant greenhouse gas savings, whilst ensuring food

security and protecting ecosystems and the services they provide from deforestation, degradation of

habitats and loss of biodiversity

. Bioenergy production can also bring significant opportunities to deliver

social, environmental and economic benefits and contribute to rural development. Possible alternative uses

of biomass (e.g. for food, feed, wood products, etc.) also need to be considered to ensure the sustainability

of feedstock supply from an overall bioeconomy perspective.

Cascading the use of biomass could improve resource efficiency and limit pressure on natural resources;

indeed, resource efficiency can be a basis for differentiating between different biomass pathways. Within an

interlinked bioeconomy, the approach to biomass production for food and feed, bioenergy and other

purposes should evolve from single end-use orientation to integrated production systems (IEA Bioenergy,

IRENA and FAO, 2017).

Through CCS, the carbon that is taken up during plant growth and transformed into CO

during energy conversion is

captured from large point sources (e.g. power plants and industrial installations) for geological storage in suitable sites

underground (including oil and gas reservoirs, unmineable coal seams, and deep saline reservoirs).

Article 29 of the EU 2018 includes specific sustainability and greenhouse gas emissions savings criteria for biofuels,

bioliquids and biomass fuels.

Ecosystem services are the direct and indirect contribution of ecosystems to human well-being, such as climate

regulation, water purification, pest and disease control, soil diversity maintenance and cultural services provision

(https://biodiversity.europa.eu/topics/ecosystem-services).

Knowledge gaps

1. More detailed statistics are needed on the use of biomass from agriculture, forestry and

waste for energy purposes (e.g. energy crops, agricultural and industrial residues and by-

products, biowaste, wood waste, sewage sludge, etc.).

2. Differences in reporting (e.g. biomass supply or energy consumption, volumes or energy

units) hinder the comparison and equivalent breakdown of the biomass feedstock used

and bioenergy production.

3. Scarce and/or incomplete data on biomass trade for energy use needs to be addressed.

4. Comprehensive assessments are required of the benefits and impacts on the environment

and socio-economic pillars (greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity and ecosystem

services), including through natural capital accounting.

5. Future research should develop methodologies for prioritising the bioenergy pathways that

can bring significant greenhouse gas emission reductions in relation to fossil fuel use in

biomass production, transport and conversion, as well as efficiencies of conversion, etc.

This brief has been prepared by the Joint Research Centre (JRC) for the European Commission's Knowledge

Centre for Bioeconomy, which brings together knowledge and scientific evidence from within and outside of

the European Commission in a transparent, tailored and concise manner, to inform policymaking on the

bioeconomy. The scientific output expressed does not imply a policy position of the European Commission.

Neither the European Commission nor any person acting on behalf of the Commission is responsible for the

use that might be made of this publication.

European Commission's Knowledge Centre for Bioeconomy

https://ec.europa.eu/knowledge4policy/bioeconomy

Contact: EC[email protected] doi:10.2760/546943

ISBN 978-92-79-77235-1

JRC109354

Reproduction is authorised provided that the source is acknowledged, save where otherwise stated.

187

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