Europe could produce very large quantities of biomass energy without destroying its environment, according to the European Environment Agency. There is enough "environmentally compatible" bioenergy capacity easily to support ambitious new renewable energy targets for 2020 or beyond, it concludes. The EEA has released preliminary findings of a study on the issue ahead of a biomass energy action plan due from the European commission next month. The study could also influence a growing debate in Europe over the implications of large-scale conversion of farmland to energy crops.
Whereas EU biomass energy production stood at just 63m tonnes of oil equivalent (mtoe) in 2002, according to the EEA it could be expanded in an environmentally responsible fashion to 180 mtoe by 2010. This potential could be increased further to 280 mtoe by 2020 and 300 mtoe by 2030.
In a 1997 white paper, the European commission reckoned that biomass production of only 135 mtoe by 2010 would be sufficient to help the EU-15 achieve 12% renewable energy. In practice, growth in biomass energy has been disappointing - putting the 12% target at risk and leading the commission to promise next month's action plan.
The EEA's study proposes "win-win" options that would provide additional amounts of bioenergy while protecting the environment. For example, extensive grassland areas can produce a "little amount" and support the management of species-rich grassland that maintain their biodiversity value "only when mown regularly"
Residues from harvest operations left after stem wood removal could be extracted and used as bioenergy, but protected forest areas should not be cut to increase production, the agency warned.
The EEA assumed that grassland would not be transformed into arable land, that at least 30% of the agricultural land would de dedicated to environmentally friendly farming, and no removal of foliage and tree roots in forests.