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Bioenergy no 4 july 2015

MARKETS AND FINANCE EPA takes steps on aviation GHG The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator is proposing to find that greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from certain classes of engines used in aircraft “contribute to the air pollution that causes climate change and endangers public health and welfare” under the Clean Air Act (CAA). Though currently not proposing standards the EPA is issuing an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that provides information on the process for setting an international for aircraft at the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). It seeks input on the potential use of CAA to adopt and implement the corresponding international Bioenergy needed to contribute to 2030 EU climate and energy objectives CO2 emissions standard standard in the US. BI80/4928/AS Bioenergy International No 80, 4-2015 35 US Legislative Update There have been many rumblings of biomass-related legislation in US Congress during the spring months. The House of Representatives Natural Resource Committee’s Subcommittee on Federal Lands is considering forest reform legislation. The Subcommittee is considering a draft that suggests the need for more forestry management to address risks posed by wildfire, insect infestations and disease, all of which are being exacerbated by climate change, as well as limits for harvesting projects, salvage, reforestation and recovery projects on federal forest lands impacted by wildfires. In addition, the House Energy and Commerce Committee is holding hearings on the efficiency and accountability titles of an energy efficiency package. The draft bill includes an amendment of the definition of renewable energy to include thermal energy, and the BTEC thermal energy coalition is working with Department of Energy’s (DOE) Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency, Kathleen Hogan, to ensure that the amendment language is aligned with the Executive Order 13693 issued by President Obama earlier this year, an administrative action that also recognises the use of thermal energy in meeting federal building energy requirements. Lastly, in both the Senate and the House, a letter on the merits of energy from biomass and the importance of its status as a carbon neutral fuel source is being drafted to send to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of Energy (DOE) and US Department of Agriculture (USDA). The EPA is expected to release its findings on the calculation and treatment of biogenic emissions later this summer, and that decision will significantly affect the role of biomass in the agency’s nationwide greenhouse gasreducing Clean Power Plan. Dayanita Ramesh, BTEC Project Assistant. www.biomassthermal.org BI80/4912/AS Biomass Thermal Energy Council Update Some 150 representatives of the global bioenergy sector gathered in Brussels, Belgium at the beginning of May for the 6th AEBIOM Bioenergy Conference to discuss the future of bioenergy and the opportunities and challenges of biomass developments in Europe. Organised by the European Biomass Association, AEBIOM, which also celebrates its 25th anniversary as an organisation, the conference provides a great opportunity to understand the challenges and opportunities related to the current and future bioenergy developments from a European Union (EU) perspective. Given recent legislative developments on transportation biofuels, the so-called “ILUC-file” and current post-2020 energy and climate goal discussions the event was particularly timely. – Not only biomass will contribute to 50 percent of the EU 2020 renewable energy target, it will also play a major role in the revitalisation of our economy and in job creation, said Jean-Marc Jossart, Secretary General of AEBIOM. Marie Donnelly, Director of Renewables, Research and Innovation and Energy Efficiency at the European Commission’s DG Energy, opened the conference and confirmed that the potential of biomass is greater than what we have achieved so far. She also mentioned that biomass is one of our own resources and we should maximise its use to improve our energy security. This year, the conference gave particular focus to the role of bioenergy beyond 2020 and its place within the 2030 climate and energy framework. According to Giulio Volpi, Policy Officer from the Renewable Energy Unit at the European Commission, DG Energy, bioenergy will have a clear role beyond 2020, especially in industrial sector (high temperature heat) and long distance transport. The first conference day also brought an opportunity to continue the debate on the strategic role of biomass in reducing dependence on fossil fuels imports and the most recent European initiatives regarding energy security. The discussion between representatives from the bioenergy industry, NGOs and the academic world showed that this issue is complex and controversial with different views on the way forward. Discussions and debates on other crucial topics like sustainability and air emissions such as the Medium Combustion Directive were also held. Benedek Javór, member of the European Parliament presented the European Parliament initiative report on energy security mentioning that there is a clear lack of harmonisation among EU energy policies and that the Initiative report bears too little attention to the important role of renewable energies such as biomass. Taking Sweden and Finland as examples the report shows higher wood demand increases forest wood stock, as the owners see a higher value in wood, thereby managing forests more actively. In addition, a stronger forest industry, a sector that primarily produces solid wood and paper products, increases the biomass available for energy. Harvesting residues, smalldiameter roundwood, sawdust, wood shavings, bark and black liquor are among the by-products of the traditional paper and sawmilling industries that can all be used as bioenergy feedstocks. – Counter-intuitively more active forest management leads to increased volume increment as planting and thinnings are taken care of, highlighted Javór. Editor’s note: The first day of the conference ended in celebrating AEBIOM’s 25th Anniversary. A video that recaps AEBIOM activities and efforts in developing the bioenergy market in Europe is available on www.aebiom.org BI80/4886/AS


Bioenergy no 4 july 2015
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