Bioenergy Perspectives in the EU Regions: Carbon Neutrality Pathway

Abstract

Bioenergy plays an important role in the climate neutrality targets of the EU. However, the status of bioenergy implementation varies greatly across the EU. The aim of this paper is to assess the role of bioenergy in different EU countries using EU experts’ opinions of bioenergy implementation in their own country. The paper identifies leading and lagging countries in biomass development by focusing on the current share of bioenergy in the total energy supply. The study shows differences in bioenergy development between Southern and Western EU countries with Northern and Eastern EU countries. The anti-bioenergy movement and continuing political support for the fossil fuel industry are important barriers inhibiting biomass development in many EU countries, especially in Southern Europe and Western Europe. Our analysis finds that the EU needs more factual bioenergy information and improved promotion of bioenergy throughout society, especially in southern and western parts of the EU. Bioenergy development in the EU can be looked at optimistically, especially in Northern and Eastern Europe. The experience of societal acceptance of bioenergy in countries such as Finland and Sweden is applicable to countries that have thus far seen less progress in bioenergy implementation such as Poland and the Netherlands.