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Mission Statement

The mission of the European Biofuels Technology Platform (Biofuels TP) is to contribute to the development of cost-competitive, world-class biofuels technologies, to the creation of a healthy biofuels industry and to accelerate the deployment of sustainable biofuels in the European Union through a process of guidance, prioritisation and promotion of research, technology development and industrial demonstration.

1. Editorial

The wider framework shaping biofuels development continues to evolve rapidly. Worldwide biofuels production and consumption is on the rise despite considerable swings in market conditions for feedstocks and end products. Policy & regulations supporting the development of biofuels are developing in many parts of the world. In the EU, the adoption of the Renewable Energy and Fuel Quality Directives in June 2009 was an important milestone.

These Directives set binding targets for renewable energies in the transport sector for the first time, and link them to mandatory sustainability requirements that address both GHG reduction and nature conservation criteria. In parallel, significant progresses towards implementation of the SET Plan and its Industrial Initiatives are ongoing, while industry and research actors are moving forward with ambitious R&D&D programmes on advanced biofuels, paving the way for the large industrial deployment needed to meet the ambitious 2020 EU targets.

The European Biofuels TP has developed its activities adjusting to this fast moving and complex context. Its contribution to shaping the European Industrial Bioenergy Initiative (EIBI) has been actively pursued, with an important milestone reached at the Stockholm SET Plan conference in October 2009. The scope of EBTP’s activities has been enlarged to cover new topics such as algae as a potential feedstock, and new downstream markets for biofuels, such as aviation and marine transport. 

Reflecting on the significant evolution of the wider market and regulatory framework and these new developments, EBTP has initiated the first update of its Strategic Research Agenda & Deployment Document (SRA/SDD), offering a timely perspective on the main challenges and priorities for biofuels R&D&D.

The core of EBTP‘s mission is to offer an open forum to all active stakeholders willing to contribute to the development of sustainable biofuels and competitive biofuels technologies. Gathering the wide spectrum of biofuels stakeholders, the 3rd Stakeholder Plenary Meeting is offering a timely opportunity to discuss the outcome of EBTP’s activities around EIBI and the update of the SRA/SDD. These discussions will provide a fresh perspective on how to boost the contribution of sustainable biofuels to EU 2020 targets.

Véronique Hervouet
Chair, Steering Committee, European Biofuels Technology Platform

2. 3rd Stakeholder Plenary Meeting of the EBTP



Developing the contribution of sustainable biofuels
to EU 2020 targets

The Third Stakeholder Plenary Meeting of EBTP is a one day conference for all biofuels stakeholders that takes place on 14 April 2010 at the Diamant Centre, Brussels. The event is free. However, places are limited, and attendance is subject to successful registration in advance. So please complete an online Registration Request a.s.a.p..

Speakers are now confirmed from Airbus, Accenture, Novozyme, Total, EC DG Energy, DG Agriculture, DG Research, Bellona, The University of Cambridge Programme for Sustainability Leadership, UPM Kymmene, CEN TC 19, Inbicon, IFP, Chemrec, Volvo, WWF. In addition, presentations will be made by Chairs of the EBTP Working Groups and representatives of the Steering Committee, updating the activities of the EBTP in key areas:

  • Policy and Markets
  • Sustainability (inc. views from the EC, industry and NGOs)
  • Feedstocks (including ILUC and Algae)
  • Biofuels Distribution and Use (inc. Aviation and Technical standards)
  • Advances in biological pathways for cellulosic conversion
  • Advances in thermochemical pathways
  • Strategic Research Agenda and Strategy Deployment Document (SRA/SDD)
  • European Industrial Bioenergy Initiative

As ever, there will be extensive opportunities for discussion, and input is welcomed from all stakeholders.

Please see the online SPM3 programme for full details.

3. Liaison with related ETPs and KBBE initiatives



The Star-COLIBRI project (Strategic Research Targets for 2020 – Collaboration Initiative on Biorefineries) is a Coordination and Support Action funded by the European Commission’s 7th Framework Programme for 2 years, which started on November 1st 2009. The project involves 5 European Technology Platforms and 5 major European Research organisations. Star-COLIBRI aims at overcoming fragmentation and promoting cross-fertilization in the area of biorefineries research. The project will support innovations by speeding up and facilitating industrial exploitation of research results in the biorefinery field, as well as promote co-ordination in the field of future R&D funding and facilitate the creation of Public-Private Partnerships. The EBTP is represented by FNR in this project.

EBTP provides regular project updates to biofuels stakeholders on Star-COLIBRI, such as the recent 'Star Cluster' request for biorefinery projects (deadline 19th March 2010).

In the frame of the BeCoTeps involving 9 TPs from the KBBE area a workshop on 'A sustainable Knowledge Bio-Based Economy - Opportunities for Europe and beyond' with active participation of EBTP experts took place at the end of November 2009. Results of this and two other workshops were presented to and discussed with Member State representatives of the KBBE-net and the EC on 9 February 2010.

A workshop on the SET Plan and international cooperation, organised by the EC for all energy related TPs involved in the SET Plan, took place on 17 Dec 2009. SC chair Véronique Hervouet presented the perspective of the Biofuels TP.

4. EBTP Developments



19th Steering Committee Meeting

The 19th Steering Committee meeting was hosted by Kalundborg in Brussels on 10th February 2010, and attended by 25 Steering Committee members and representatives of the European Commission. SPM3, EIBI and the SRA update were the key topics on the agenda. View summary minutes

New Steering Committee Members and WG3 Chair

Henrik Erämetsä, Neste Oil, and Anders Lau Tuxen, Novozymes, have been elected to join the EBTP Steering Committee. Jukka Pekka Nieminen, Neste Oil, has been elected as new WG3 Chair.

6. Biofuels Events - Spring/Summer 2010



Links and details for the following events are included on the events page of the EBTP website.

9-10 March 2010
International Advanced Mobility Forum during Geneva International Motor Show
Geneva, Swizerland

10 March 2010
European Fuels Conference - Alternative Fuels Symposium
Paris, France

10-12 March 2010
3rd Nordic Biogas Conference
Oslo Kongressenter, Oslo, Norway

11-12 March 2010
Biomass Trade and Power
Golden Tulip Centre, Rotterdam, Netherlands

15-17 March 2010
World Biofuels Markets
Amsterdam, Netherlands

12-15 April 2010
EurasiaBio - The 2nd International Congress
World Trade Centre, Moscow, Russia

14 April 2010
3rd Stakeholders Plenary Meeting of the European Biofuels
Technology Platform
Diamant Centre, Brussels, Belgium

15 April 2010
International Symposium and Workshop on Biomass Assessment Methods
DG RESEARCH, 21 rue du Champ de Mars, Brussels, Belgium

22-23 April 2010
2nd Algae World Europe
Brussels, Belgium

26-28 April 2010
Catalysis for the Production of Transportation Fuels and Chemicals: Challenges and Opportunities
Brussels, Belgium

28 April 2010
Workshop on Sustainability – the requirements of the Renewable Energy Directive and the German Biomass Ordinance “Biofuels” - Application in Practise
AGQM, Berlin, Germany

29-30 April 2010
4th International Conference for Biodiesel Manufacturers
Berlin, Germany

3-7 May 2010
18th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition
Lyon, France

5-6 May 2010
Biofuels International Expo and Conference
Barcelo Hotel, Prague, Czech Republic

25-27 May 2010
World Bioenergy 2010
Jönköping, Sweden

16 -17 June 2010
European Biodiesel 2010
Barcelona, Spain

30 June - 1 July 2010
AEBIOM European Bioenergy Conference
at RENEXPO® Bioenergy EUROPE, Brussels, Belgium


7. Recent Biofuels Reports




A number of new biofuels reports have been added to the EBTP Reports Database including:

POLICY & MARKETS

Sustainable Production of SECOND Generation Biofuels - Potential and perspectives in major economies and developing countries
IEA

Alternative Energy Carriers and Powertrains to Reduce GHG from Transport
AEA Technology plc for EU Transport GHG: Routes to 2050?

2nd Generation Biofuels and Trade - an exploratory study
Douglas Bradley, Climate Change Solutions, Canada Luc Pelkmans and Dieter Cupyers VITO (for IEA Task 40)

International Fuel Prices 2009 - Full Edition
GTZ

IEA Task 40 Country Reports on Biofuels Trade and Markets 2007-2009
IEA Bioenergy Task 40

Betting on science: Disruptive Technologies in Transport Fuels - Summary Document
Accenture

FEEDSTOCKS

Proceedings of the International Workshop Aquatic Biomass: Sustainable Bioenergy from Algae, Berlin, November 2009
Oeko-Institut, conCISEnet

Eating the Planet: Feeding and fuelling the world sustainably, fairly and humanely - a scoping study
Institute of Social Ecology, Austria, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research - commissioned by Compassion in World Farming

SUSTAINABILITY

Biofuels - Handle With Care
BirdLife European Division, European Environmental Bureau
FERN, Friends of the Earth Europe, Oxfam International, Transport and Environment

Towards sustainable production and use of resources: Assessing Biofuels
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

LOGISTICS

World Biofuel Maritime Shipping Study
Douglas Bradley, Climate Change Solutions, Fritz Diesenreiter, Vienna University of Technology, Michael Wild, EBES, and Erik Tromborg, Norwegian University of Life Sciences for IEA Bioenergy Task 40