Addressing Sustainability Risks of Bioenergy—Policy Strategies and Corporate Initiatives

Abstract

This paper focuses on the sustainable use of solid and gaseous biomass for electricity, heating and cooling. It provides updated findings of policy analyses and corporate strategy analyses performed in the frame of BIOENERGY PROMOTION, one of the flagship projects under the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region. In particular, the paper highlights policies and measures which have been adopted by the EU and EU Member States to address environmental and social sustainability risks of bioenergy. Taking into account the conclusions of BIOENERGY PROMOTION, the paper identifies promising policy developments, but also shortcomings. On the Member State level, the paper refers to the examples of Germany and Poland. It illustrates how problematic policy priorities and policy malfunctioning in two sub-sectors (biogas from energy crops in Germany, biomass co-firing in Poland) led to undesirable environmental and social developments and how policies have been re-adjusted to mitigate sustainability risks. The paper also portrays a number of voluntary corporate sustainability initiatives which emerged due to the lack of a binding European sustainability framework for solid and gaseous biomass. The authors conclude that without a binding sustainability framework at EU level there is a risk of having a patchwork of potentially diverging sustainability regimes and initiatives across Europe causing market intransparency and insecurity for investors.

Возможности Разработки Биогаза

“…The main advantage of enzymatic hydrolysis is the absence of the formation of inhibitors of microorganisms that cause fermentation. On the other hand, it is a very slow process, which makes it expensive, and the enzymes are difficult to extract and reuse, in addition, the enzymes cannot cleave the lignocellulose complex, so enzymatic hydrolysis requires pretreatment, which allows the enzymes to reach cellulose and hemicellulose [7]. Important research focuses on pretreatment to improve enzymatic hydrolysis.…”

“…Krug M. and others emphasize the sustainable use of solid and gaseous biomass for electricity generation, heating and cooling. They also investigate environmental and social threats associated with bioenergy [7]. Volysov T. and others [8] consider the use of biogas as a component of renewable energy sources that have a positive economic and environmental impact in agriculture: reducing emissions of steam gases; waste disposal; creating jobs; improving energy security.…”

Energy Transition in the Baltic Sea Region

“…The amount of the formalities associated with micro-scale activities, just as in the case of much more complex and significant projects, has been largely discouraging officials from undertaking any initiatives that would support the residents' property modernization activity. In spite of these problems series of Baltic Sea Region (BSR) and South Baltic Programs (SBP) projects contributed significantly to energy transition issues in cities and rural areas in Pomerania Region, e.g., LowTEMP: Low Temperature District Heating for the Baltic Sea Region, Act Now: Action for Energy Efficiency in Baltic Cities and BP: Bioenergy Promotion (Krug et al, 2015;Cenian et al, 2019;Pakere et al, 2018;Feofilovs et al, 2019;Konkol et al, 2020).…”

Challenging times for power plants

“…By the end of 2012, more than 13,800 biogas power plants, with a total installed capacity of 7.5 GW, were in operation. The share of total EU electricity generation is still very low: biomass and waste provided around 6% of the EU's electricity generation in 2012, [13]. Biomass is used primarily in countries with extensive forest industries, where residues such as branches, wood chips and sawdust can be used to produce electricity and heat.…”

“…Growing demand for bio-energy has raised serious concerns about negative long term effects of removing forest residues for soil fertility, soil organic carbon, water quality and habitat. Increased harvesting and removal of forest residues and stumps for bio-energy are expected to have a greater impact on soil, water and habitat than conventional forest practices, [50]. The production of dedicated energy crops can also lead to negative developments like, for instance, increased emissions of GHGs or biodiversity losses through fertilizer use, or conversion of forest and carbon rich land into arable land.…”