European Energy Research Alliance: DBFZ is elected full member of EERA Bioenergy

Bioenergy as an integral part of the bioeconomy faces important challenges today. Intensive and well adapted research and development efforts are a crucial element in meeting these challenges. As a newly elected full member of the European Energy Research Alliance (EERA), the DBFZ (German Biomass Research Centre) represents various aspects of bioenergy in five subgroups of the EERA Bioenergy Programme.

The overall objective of EERA Bioenergy is to develop into a solid research and development tool to assess the research challenges and priorities set for bioenergy in the Roadmap of the Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET-Plan) of the European Union. This represents a major milestone in further developing the transition to a climate-neutral energy system and achieving an efficient and low-carbon energy supply in the EU. Adapting the priorities of the SET Plan to the activities of programme members, other relevant European bioenergy actors and other bioenergy activities at national level is essential to accelerate the achievement of the medium to long-term objectives of the SET Plan's Strategic and Research Agenda.

Through its inclusion in the European Energy Research Alliance, the DBFZ is even more strongly integrated into European bioenergy research. The membership complements the EERA portfolio with the know-how of the "Smart Bioenergy" concept developed by the DBFZ. This concept outlines the development from modern biomass utilisation systems to integrated systems, which can act in optimised interaction with various renewable energy sources on the one hand and coupled material-energetic utilisation within the framework of the bioeconomy on the other.

As a newly elected full member, the DBFZ can contribute to the strategic research and innovation agenda, has access to positions of responsibility in the Joint Programme (JP) and is a voting partner in the JP Steering Committee. For this purpose, representatives of the DBFZ are represented in all five subprogrammes (SP) of EERA Bioenergy. "As an important operator of research infrastructures, we are a sought-after partner in the EERA, but also a contact for non-European countries. In addition, we support the accompanying analysis and evaluation of future bioenergy technologies. For example, as an EERA partner in 2020, we are striving to establish the position of European research on the sustainability assessment of bioenergy," said Prof. Dr. Daniela Thrän, Deputy Scientific Managing Director of the DBFZ, commenting on the planned activities.

Additional information:  www.eera-set.eu/eera-joint-programmes-jps/list-of-jps/bioenergy/



Smart Bioenergy – innovations for a sustainable future

The DBFZ works as a central and independent thinker in the field of energy and material use of biomass on the question of how the limited available biomass resources can contribute to the existing and future energy system with sustainability and high efficiency. As part of the research the DBFZ identifies, develops, accompanies, evaluates and demonstrates the most promising fields of application for bioenergy and the especially positively outstanding examples together with partners from research, industry and public. With the scientific work of the DBFZ, the knowledge of the possibilities and limitations of energy and integrated material use of renewable raw materials in a biobased economy as a whole should be expanded and the outstanding position of the industrial location Germany in this sector permanently secured – www.dbfz.de/en.