Sustainable Biomass

Why sustainable biomass?

Biomass is playing a key role in climate protection policy. To be successful in meeting goals for greenhouse gas reduction, an increased use of biomass is important, for biofuel and electricity alike. Conflicts between ecological and social objectives may result which need to be addressed in the political context in order to protect climate, biodiversity and resources. The sustainable use of bioenergy is called for in legislation on the national (German) level, the European Union and other international bodies.

Actual studies of IFEU

What is special about solid biomass with regard to sustainability requirements; (pdf 1013 KB).
Lecture by Horst Fehrenbach: Conference"Sustainable Biomass for Electricity" (Website) from 02.-04.05.2012 in Güssing (A)

Criteria for the sustainable acquisition of wood like biomass for electricity and heat production in the state of Berlin - in German (pdf 2.50 MB)

To protect the climate the state of Berlin and Vattenfall Europe AG wants to increase the use of wood for electricity and heat generation. To ensure the sustainable acquisition of wood, Berlin and Vattenfall have signed an agreement which sets out relevant criteria. IFEU was commissioned by the two partners to develop the criteria, to come up with a recommended handling system while including broader issues such as formulating the indirect effects and conduct a benchmark of appropriate certification systems.

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Here you find the Palm Oil Greenhouse Gas Calculator

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Commissioned by the Environmental Agency and the Federal Ministry of Environment, IFEU is working since a few years on how to develop suitable criteria for the sustainable use of bioenergy.

The basis for certification of sustainable biomass (according to BioSt-NachV) has been defined in an IFEU project completed in January 2010. A focus is set on greenhouse gas balances. These results were included in the “Guidelines for sustainable biomass” by the Agency for Agriculture and Food (BLE). The following report summarises the results and the contribution by ifeu:

Entwicklung eines Anerkennungssystems für die praktische Umsetzung der Biomassestrom- Nachhaltigkeitsverordnung für BMU-GTZ - Arbeitspaket C: Anforderungen für die Treibhausgasbilanz; in German (pdf 365 KB)

Basic research on criteria for sustainability, indicators and calculation of greenhouse gas for biomass resp. bioenergy can also be found in the following reports:


Kriterien einer nachhaltigen Bioenergienutzung im globalen Maßstab
(Criteria for Sustainable Bioenergy Use on a Global Scale), Umweltbundesamt Dessau-Roßlau, 2008 (in German)

Greenhouse Gas Balances for the German Biofuels Quota Legislation
(pdf 1,03 MB)

BioGlobal - Sustainable Bioenergy: Current Status and Outlook, in cooperation with Öko-Institut (pdf, 334 KB)

The Impacts of Climate Change on Water for RE Production: the Bioenergy case (IEA - Workshop on Renewable Enegy & Water, March 23, 09, Paris)
(pdf 373 KB)

Under contract with GTZ, IFEU staff members provide training of experts in different countries that produce biomass for bioenergy (currently in Mexico) to enable them to establish greenhouse gas balances und assess the sustainability of projects.

Further related projects were commissioned by FAO, Global Environmental Facilities (GEF), the Association of German "Bioethanolwirtschaft" (BDBE) und UNFCCC.
IFEU represents and advices in task forces of Global Bioenergy Partnership (GBEP) as well as in standardization committees such as DIN, CEN and ISO.

More information

Agriculture /Landwirtschaft

Erneuerbare Energien

Biogene Abfälle

Contact

Horst Fehrenbach (06221/4767-16; horst.fehrenbach@ifeu.de)
Guido Reinhardt (06221/4767-31; guido.reinhardt@ifeu.de)
Martin Pehnt (06221/4767-36; martin.pehnt@ifeu.de)
Bernd Franke (06221/4767-23; bernd.franke@ifeu.de)