Part-financed by The European Union
European Regional Development Fund and European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument
Feb 08, 2010
The EU is committed to combat climate change and to increase security of its energy supply. Bioenergy from forestry and agriculture plays a key role for both. The Common Agricultural Policy helps agriculture and forestry to provide biomass for energy and encourages the use of bioenergy in rural areas.
Bioenergy is one form of renewable energy among many from other sources (wind, solar, hydraulic, geothermal etc). Feedstocks for bioenergy are storable, bioenergy can thus be produced constantly and is a reliable source of energy. It is amply available in all parts of Europe. That is why bioenergy accounts with about two thirds by far for the largest share in total renewable energy. Bioenergy comes either in the form of solid biomass, biogas or of biofuels. It can generate electricity, deliver heat directly or come as a fuel. Biomass is provided by forestry - which provides half of the EU's renewable energy - agriculture and organic waste. Liquid biofuels are currently mainly made out of agricultural crops.