eba annual report 2014
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Founded in 2009, the European Biogas
Association (EBA) promotes the deployment of
sustainable biogas production and its use in
Europe. This covers all energetic applications
of biogas like heat, electricity and automotive
fuel. EBA’s membership comprises national
biogas associations, institutes and companies
from over 20 countries all across Europe. The
member associations cover the majority of
producers, companies, consultants and
researchers in the field of biogas within
Europe.
EBA’s strategy defines three priorities:
establish biogas as an important part of
Europe’s energy mix, promote source
separation of household waste to increase the
gas potential and support the production of
biomethane as vehicle fuel.
© EBA, January 2015; All rights reserved
3
Mission and Vision 6
2014 on a timeline 7
Key Policy Focuses 8
Advisory Councils 14
Communication 16
Projects 18
Events and Networking 20
Organisational Structure 22
Partnerships and memberships 23
Content
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Dear Members, dear Colleagues,
This annual report gives you an insight to the sixth year of EBA’s activities. the association became
a solid biogas knowledge centre in Brussels. This really opens the door for general policy work and
for rewarding results presented in this report. Policy issues touching biogas industry were present
more than ever this year in the European Parliament, and the Commission. We were well engaged
in publishing position papers on topics such as circular economy, End of Waste, digestate safety,
REACH and iLUC, to mention a few. We have launched Scientific Advisory Council (SAC), which is of
a great interest among various scientists across Europe. The active work of SAC members resulted
in publishing detailed position papers, backed up with unprecedented knowledge and data.
An important part of our policy work is are workshops, where the key stakeholders have the chance
to actively exchange their views. This year we have organized two workshops: one on sustainability
of biogas, and the other one on digestate. The increasing number of Brussels based people who
attend these workshops is one of the rewarding results, underlining the increasing importance of
our work in the heart of Europe.
Year 2014 was a year of the EBA biannual conference. This event took place in Egmond aan Zee in
the Netherlands, and we would like to thank all our members, who helped to make it a success.
Around 270 people enjoyed three days of contributions ranging from political talks of the
Commission representatives to scientific and technical contributions on anaerobic digestion and
gasification, held by top-ranked experts.
President’s foreword “The increasing number of Brussels based people who attend
these workshops is one of the rewarding results, underlining the
increasing importance of our work in the heart of Europe.”
5
All these achievements are underlined by a number of documents we
publish for our members, to support their work on national level in
their home countries. This is an important part of our work, and we are
pleased that this part of our website enjoys most visitors.
All these highlights, and much more as you will read in this Annual
Report would not be possible to achieve without an excellent team we
have now in Brussels office. Agata Przadka and Susanna Pflüger (born
Litmanen) kept doing an outstanding job, and were promoted to senior
positions. We also have new faces in our office, namely Nicolas de la
Vega, who joined us for policy work, and Erneszt Kovacs on an intern
position. My thanks also go to the board members, who contribute in
the fields of their expertise, on voluntary basis. It is a pleasure to be a
part of this great team.
Jan Stambasky,
President of European Biogas Association
Mr. Arthur Wellinger, the founder and five
years long president of EBA recieving a
honorary membership from Mr. Jan
Stambasky, the current EBA president
6
“Biogas – the product of an efficient and sustainable use of resources”
In January 2014 the General Assembly approved the
association’s mission and vision “EBA’s strategy for the
biogas industry”.
In a course of 2013 the board worked on a strategy to
increase share of products of anaerobic digestion: biogas,
biomethane and digestate. Specific production targets for
biogas and biomethane were set for the years 2020 and
2030, and key policy areas to be lobbied on the EU level
were identified.
Biogas is a versatile energy source and EBA believes
that the fuel has the potential to contribute with at
least 1.5% to the EU’s primary energy mix and 5% to
the EU’s natural gas consumption (in energy equivalent terms).
There were 1.245 million jobs in renewable energy industry in
Europe in 2013. Biogas industry accounted for 5.5% (REN21)
EBA believes that the overall potential for biogas is at
least 50 billion m3. Thus, by 2030 and with the right
policies in place, the industry could deliver 2% - 4%
of the EU’s electricity needs and take a 15% - 30% share of the methane
market.
2030
2020
Mission and Vision
7
2014 on a timeline January
EVENT: January 15,
Company Advisory
Council meeting,
Nuremberg, DE
PR: January 15, The new
EBA President presents
the latest European
biogas statistics - growth
continuous!
ARTICLE: “Highs and
lows”, Bioenergy Insight
February
March
ARTICLE: “Biogas is
blooming”, Gas World
Magazine
EVENT: March 11,
Scientific Advisory
Council meeting,
Brussels, BE
EVENT: March 11,
European biomethane
workshop, Brussels, BE
PR: March 27,
Biomethane with bright
opportunities towards
the 2030 target
PR: March 31, Scientific
April
ARTICLE: “The use of
Digestate as an Organic
Fertiliser”, EnviroTech
EVENT: April 29,
Sustainability of Biogas,
Brussels, BE
May
June
EVENT: June 27,
Company Advisory
Council meeting, Prague,
CZ
July
PR: July 4, New German
Renewable Energy Act
(EEG) shoots biogas in
Germany
Special Newsletter: May
15, EBA’s special report
on European election
2014
July
August
September
PR: July 4, New German
Renewable Energy Act
(EEG) shoots biogas in
Germany
Advisory Council for
biogas launched
EVENT: September 29 -
30, EBA Biogas
Conference, Egmond aan
Zee, NL
EVENT: September 30,
Scientific Advisory
Commitee meeting,
Egmond aan Zee, NL
EVENT: September 30,
Company Advisory
Commitee meeting,
Egmond aan Zee, NL
October
EVENT: October 1,
Biomoass Gasification
Europe, Alkmaar, NL
PR: October 8, Anaerobic
Digestion and
Gasification can replace
natural gas imports
EVENT: October 15, 2nd
Digestate workshop,
Brussels, BE
ARTICLE: “Can biogas
contribute to Europe’s
energy security?”,
Biogas International
EU: October 23,
Adoption of 2030 cilate
and energy policies
framework, Brussels, BE
PR: October 27, Climate
and energy targets
2030 – no binding RES
requirements for the
Members States is a
threat
ARTICLE: “Biogas
trends”, ZIPmagazine
November
EVENT: November 14,
Company Advisory
Council meeting,
Hannover, DE
EVENT: November 19,
Scientific Advisory
Council meeting,
Freising, DE
ARTICLE: “2nd EBA
Biogas Conference was a
Success”, Biogas Journal
December
PR: Dcember 16, The new
EBA Biogas Report
published - biogas
industry grew and
production increased!
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Sustainability recommendations for solid and gaseous biomass
and updated GHG default values
Despite the busy European election period in spring 2014, the Member States were finally able
to reach the first reading position on the iLUC proposal under the Greek Presidency. The biggest
point of disagreement, namely the inclusion of sub-target for advanced biofuels, was solved by
incorporating a non-binding 0.5% target in the position. Despite the low ambition, EBA was
pleased with the improvements introduced by the Council: the Annex IX listing the feedstock for
advanced biofuels was extended to non-food crops and source-separated waste, while the
quadruple counting of advanced biofuels was removed and the idea of ”iLUC mitigation” was
introduced, i.e. contributing to the lower iLUC effect through yield increases.
EBA has closely followed the development of the proposal in both institutions being in contact
throughout the year with both MEPs and the Council Presidencies and providing them with an
updated position ahead of the second reading. EBA is looking forward to a more balanced
second reading position from the Parliament which will take a stand on the most crucial
questions and which will not re-open the entire file for discussion again. EBA will certainly
continue advocating a balanced solution for the Directive in 2015 when the negotiations will
likely to be finalised.
Indirect land use change (iLUC) related to biofuels and bioliquids
The European Commission put forward the updated non-binding recommendations for
sustainability of solid and gaseous biomass in 2014. At the same time, the Joint Research
Centre (JRC) published a new report on bioenergy pathways and GHG values. Even though the
recommendations are not legally binding, they are expected to be taken into account when new
national sustainability schemes are designed. Therefore, the document is of high relevance to
the biogas sector. Although EBA had previously seen several leaked versions and contributed to
the GHG report, the content of the recommendations and the JRC report did not include any
notable surprises. The sustainability threshold was however, against all expectations, raised
from the already high figure of 60% to 70%, encouraging Member States to phase out the use of
energy crops. The 70% threshold can however be reached by co-digestion (70% manure and
30% maize). On the positive side, manure credits and a methodology for co-digestion were
finally incorporated as requested by EBA for years already. In 2015, EBA will establish more
regular and formal relations with JRC with a support from its Scientific Advisory Council.
Throughout the year EBA’s policy advisors
constantly keep an eye on European
policies and their developments. Through
a p r om p t r e s p o ns e , ong o ing
communication with its members and
board and regular meetings with
Members of the European Parliament
and respresentatives of the European
Commission EBA ensures that the interest
of the European biogas industry is heard
in Brussels and that both biogas industry
and Europe will benefit from the taken
decisions.
2014 was a very versatile and action
packed year in terms of policy
development as it covered several
legislative proposals and targets.
Key policy focuses
9
2030 package for climate and energy policy
At the beginning of the year, the European Commission put forward its proposal for climate and energy targets beyond 2020. Instead of having
binding, equally strong targets for greenhouse gas emissions’ reduction, renewable energy and energy efficiency as previously for 2020, the
Commission positioned the emissions target as the main pillar of the new climate and energy package by introducing a target of 40% for
greenhouse gas reduction whereas the targets for renewable energy and energy efficiency as rather supplementary. 27% share of renewable
energies at the EU level would probably be reached by 2030 with the business as usual and the energy efficiency target of 30% was proposed
after a long consideration in July. EBA together with other renewable industries’ pled, addressed the importance of nationally binding targets
to the Commission and national policy makers by numerous letters and other means of communication. However, these requests faced
resistance from several Member States that were referring to short-term cost-efficiency. At the European summit in October, the Member
States thus adopted a position pledging only to a single binding target at both EU and national levels: 40% CO2 reduction that will also be
broken down to individual Member States based on their financial situation. To EBA’s big disappointment, the renewables target of 27% will
be binding only at the EU level. Also the energy efficiency target was reduced to 27% and is, similarly to the renewables target only indicative at
national level.
“We still need more projects, a more market-oriented approach and we need to
attribute sustainability bigger importance”
Mr. Arthur Wellinger, on possibilities for better biomethane utilization
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With its members’ support in February, EBA prepared a response to the Commission’s consultation on the new Guidelines that were extended
to regulate the renewable energies’ support schemes for the first time. Despite the great opposition from stakeholders and concerns expressed
by Member States, DG Competition pushed its proposal through and introduced the Guidelines with only a few softening measures at the end
of June and it entered into force at the beginning of September. To EBA’s and the whole renewable energy industry’s frustration, the Guidelines
asked for phasing out feed-in tariffs that were so far the most powerful tool to pursue energy transition in Europe. Following the populist
arguments referring to the increasing energy costs caused by renewables, the support schemes should become more ‘cost-efficient’. This shall
be achieved when feed-in premiums and market-based green certificates replace feed-in tariffs. Another challenge will be posed by the
technology-neutral bidding processes that shall be introduced as the only way to grant aid for renewables. EBA supports its national member
associations to prompt their governments to take advantage from the existing loopholes and exemptions included in the Guidelines in order to
ensure decarbonisation of the European energy sector by sustainable energy sources.
Guidelines on State aid for environmental protection and energy 2014-2020
Revision of BREF for Waste Treatment Industries
The work on the revision of the BREF which was kicked off in 2013, continued in sub-groups in 2014. EBA is leading the sub-group “anaerobic
digestion” that wrote contributions for chapter 2 (Applied processes and techniques) chapter 4 (Techniques to consider) and chapter 5 (BAT
conclusions) of the overall BREF. The first draft from European IPPC Bureau will be expected at the beginning of 2015.
751 new biogas plants were open in Europe in 2013, an
increase of 5.5%, reaching the total of 14 563
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Revision of Energy Taxation Directive
After thorough work and numerous working group meetings, the Joint Research Centre (JRC) published its long-awaited technical proposals for
the End-of-Waste criteria for digestate and compost in January. Since then, EBA has met with DG Environment several times calling the
Commission services to establish a Regulation on the criteria. Another, but less preferable possibility would be to incorporate the criteria in the
upcoming Fertiliser Regulation. In early autumn, it was indeed confirmed and communicated by DG Environment to EBA that the End-of-Waste
file had been moved to DG Enterprise who shall work on its inclusion in the Fertiliser Regulation. Unlike anticipated in 2013, the proposal for
the Regulation has not been published in summer and is now postponed to early 2015. EBA actively participated in all three working group
meetings on fertilisers in 2014 and prepared a paper during summer, commenting the essential requirements proposed by DG Enterprise,
ahead of December’s meeting. Together with FEAD, representing the European waste management industry, and the European Compost
Network, EBA wrote a joint paper at the end of the year underlining the importance of organic fertilisers.
Simultaneously, EBA has been pushing for the exemption of digestate from the REACH registration. The REACH Regulation was discussed
among EBA, the Commission services as well as several Member State representatives, after it raised concerns in 2013 when EBA noted to its
astonishment that digestate shall fall under the scope of the registration requirements after the digestate reaches the product status. As EBA’s
request to exempt digestate from the REACH registration, similarly to compost and biogas, has gathered broad support from Member States,
EBA expects the Commission to draft a proposal to amend the Entry 12 of Annex V in the near future.
Since 2011, the Member States have been debating the revision of the Energy Taxation Directive in the Council’s working group. The new
Directive shall introduce an EU-wide CO2 tax as part of the overall taxation. EBA has regularly been in contact with the COREPER working group
members to exchange information about the progress made on one hand and the questions related to biogas on the other. To EBA’s
knowledge, the Member States have finally, after three years of negotiation, been able to broadly agree on a two-tier system where the
minimum taxation rates are based on CO2 and energy components. If the CO2 component would have been removed, the Commission would
have likely withdrawn the whole proposal. Regarding the taxation levels, sustainable biofuels such as biogas shall have a lower minimum
taxation rates and additionally, tax exemptions/reductions will be allowed until 2023. There are however still considerable divergences in
views between the Member States to be solved related to minimum taxation rates and the treatment of EU ETS installations, for example.
Moreover, the compliance of the reduced taxation rates with the new State Aid Guidelines is another outstanding issue to be solved.
Digestate policies
“Biogas can be an important pillar of the European energy policy
in terms of safety and decarbonisation”
Dr. Jan Štambaský, at the EBA Conference 2014
12
An important first reading agreement was reached in April ahead of the European elections by the European Parliament and the Council on the
Directive on the Deployment of Alternative Fuels Infrastructure. Instead of setting EU-wide binding targets for the amount of filling stations, the
EU institutions agreed that Member States will determine such goals in their national plans. The Commission will have a role to ensure that
those plans remain ambitious. Additionally, the Commission shall come up with an action plan by the end of 2018 to further promote the
implementation of alternative fuels’ infrastructure. Biomethane was included in the scope of the new Directive even though the Commission’s
decision to talk exclusively about natural gas (biomethane wass included in the term) had caused some confusion again: EBA was informed
that some Member States had been reluctant to promote natural gas under alternative fuels since it is a fossil fuel. The fact that biomethane
as a renewable fuel profits from the same infrastructure had once again been disregarded. Therefore, EBA has actively, as a member of the
Commission’s expert group on future transport fuels, promoted the separate treatment of biomethane and natural gas in the EU legislation on
alternative fuels. These arguments have however faced some resistance from the fossil gas industry that has stubbornly pursued the uniform
categorisation of gaseous fuels. Three working group meetings took place in 2014 contributing to the report on state of the art of different
alternative fuels which will be published shortly.
Clean power for transport package
The consumption of biomethane in Finland nearly tripled,
with an increase of 168% during the last year. The
upgrading capacities tripled with a number of new filling
stations opened.
13
European Commission’s public consultations
After consulting its members in February, EBA responded to the public consultation on the draft State Aid Guidelines on energy and
environment emphasising the need for flexibility for Member State to tailor their support schemes for renewable energies to fit national
conditions.
Circular Economy package
As eagerly expected, the European Commission laid down in summer a proposal to revise European waste targets and a number of waste-
related Directives including the Waste Framework Directive and the Landfill Directive. The revision package was named Circular Economy The
package aims to establish a system where resources are kept within the economy to be productively used again and again and hence creating
further value. EBA was calling for obligatory separate collection of biowaste for years already and emphasised the role of anaerobic digestion
in circular economy and therefore welcomed the package while raising two remaining issues in a position paper: the categorisation of
anaerobic digestion under the European waste hierarchy and the exemption of manure from the Waste Framework Directive. Anaerobic
digestion should clearly and explicitly be considered as a way of recycling and manure destined for biogas plants should be exempted from the
scope of the Waste Framework Directive in the same way as raw manure if the produced digestate is used as a fertiliser. Over the autumn
months, EBA met with the responsible Commission services, MEPs and Member State representatives to discuss the importance of ambitious
waste targets, the remaining challenges related to manure and waste hierarchy.
“It is essential to shift from natural gas to biomethane, as the use of natural gas
alone will not allow significant reductions of GHG emission”
Mr. Antonio Tricas - Aizpun, European Commission, DG MOVE
1 tonne of artificial fertiliser replaced with digestate saves 1
tonne of oil, 108 tonnes of water and 7 tonnes of CO2 emissions
(Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association)
14
As the umbrella organisation for the
biogas industry in Europe and for the
benefit of its members, as well as
ensuring and comfirming the
sustainability of biogas, EBA has to bring
together both industry and science and
enable close interaction between the two
communities.
Therefore, two advisory councils actively
work alongside everyday activities in
Brussels on providing scientific and
commercial background for EBA’s policy,
communication and project management
activities.
Advisory Councils
30
7
Company Advisory
Council
members
Scientific Advisory
Council
members
The Company Advisory Council (CAC) is a platform representing the European biogas industry
which gives an opportunity for the industry to reflect its views towards the European Union. It
also participates in strengthening EBA’s voice for policy-making. Due to organisational
changes in their companies company, Theo Verleun (DSM), who was a CAC chairman for over
two years, and Emanuel Bregulla (MT-Energie), Deputy Chairman, have resigned from chairing
the Council.
Over the past year, four meetings took place:
15 January – Nuremberg
27 June – Prague
30 September – Egmond aan Zee
14 November - Hannover
The CAC members started the first working group (WG) in mid-2014, which aims at answering
the question “What is needed for sustained feasibility of biogas/biomethane production?”
Results of the WG are expected in 2015.
Company Advisory Council
15
Opes
March 2014 was marked with creation of Scientific Advisory Council (SAC) by scientific
members of EBA. SAC was set up as a network of researchers, scientists and university
teachers dedicated to the promotion of the biogas sector by means of scientific evidence.
Objectives of the Council:
To provide scientific evidence to EBA position papers and public communication
To advise on programme of EBA workshops and conference
To support EBA Board in evaluation of project proposals
To encourage other scientific partners (research institutes, universities) into SAC in order to
increase exchange of experience and information in biogas research.
In 2014 the SAC had two face-to-face meetings and several phone conferences:
11 March – Brussels
30 September – Egmond aan Zee
Scientific Advisory Council
16
Press releases
The new EBA Biogas Report pub-
lished - biogas industry grew and
production increased!
Climate and energy targets 2030
– no binding RES requirements
for the Members States is a
threat
Anaerobic Digestion and Gasifi-
cation can replace natural gas
imports
New German Renewable Energy
Act (EEG) shoots biogas in Ger
many
Scientific Advisory Council for
biogas launched
Biomethane with bright opportu-
nities towards the 2030 target
The new EBA President presents
the latest European biogas sta
tistics - growth continuous!
EBA has paid a lot of attention to
communication activities over the year
which included online visibility,
continuous presence in media, both
online and written, using a whole range of
communication tools all aiming at the
promotion of the network and its
members, as well as biogas as a
sustainable and locally produced fuel in
general. EBA has developed partnerships
with numerous media channels including
Biogas Channel, Biogas Journal and
others.
Intensified social media activity increased
visibility of the association within media
and young professionals.
The total number of Twitter followers /
Facebook fans / LinkedIn members
tripled.
13
14 7
Communication
Press releases
Position papers
Articles
335 185 582
355 1102 3x
Position papers
EBA's position on the Circular
Economy Package
EBA's response to EurActiv's arti-
cle on gas infrastructure
EBA's comments on the essential
requirements of the Fertiliser
Regulation
EBA's position on bio-economy
Sustainability recommendations
on biomass and biogas in elec-
tricity and heating
EBA’s special report on European
Parliament election 2014
Revision of European Ecolabel
Criteria for Soil Improvers and
Growing Media: Summary of the
technical report and EBA com
ments
EBA’s contribution to the Expert
Group meeting on Future
Transport Fuels
EBA summary on State Aid
Guidelines 2014-2020
EBA's discussion paper on End-of
-Waste criteria for digestate
ESBF Position on 2020-2030 EU
energy policy
EBA's response to the consulta-
tion on the draft Guidelines on
environmental and energy State
Aid for 2014-2020
EBA's comments on the revision
of the Fertilisers Regulation
Digestate in the Nitrates Di-
rective
FEAD-ECN-EBA common state-
ment on organic fertilisers
Media Press releases and position papers
2013 2014
17
EBA’s website is continuously updated
with EBA, EU and country specific news, as
well as position papers and press
releases. Pages for the Scientific and
Company Advisory Councils were added.
Main peaks in terms of visits in 2014 were
on dates of press releases and major
events (i.e. The EBA Biogas Conference).
Beginning of the year the EBA newsletter
got a new shape. An HTML form of
electronic newsletter was introduced to
facilitate dissemination and to allow
statistical analysis.
30.670
60%
Visits
New visitors
2.5
pages Per session
Website
Newsletter
2000
31% Subscribers
Opens
Publications Each year EBA prepares new
country profiles with a summary of
on the local biogas market. Profiles
include data on general renewables
situation and targets, and more
specifically on biogas production,
legal support and future prospects.
In 2014 EBA published profiles for
Bulgaria, Poland, Romania, Russia,
The Netherlands and Turkey.
Companies Catalogue and Success Stories
disseminate information on services of the
biogas companies active in international
business and their examples of good
practices. The catalogue includes basic data
about each associated member,
geographical areas of activity and
references while the Success Stories cover
achievements in the biogas industry, like
process optimization, energy efficiency,
feedstock use or increased sustainability. In
2014 EBA had 14 success stories from 8
countries. . Around 800 printed and digital
copies were disseminated in 2014.
EBA published the fourth edition of its biogas report containing
European biogas statistics. It presents the current number of
biogas plants divided by type, installed capacities, electricity
and heat production, and an overview of the biogas support
systems. Publication was developed in cooperation with
national associations and other partners of EBA.
18
5
Per
Opens
Projects
GreenGasGrids was a 3-years long European project funded by the Intelligent Energy for Europe (IEE) with
the aim to boost the European biomethane market. The goal of the project was to create a strategic
approach towards boosting biomethane markets while aiming at increasing biomethane production. Main
actions were:
Support finding solutions to market barriers
Bring together potential business partners
Hands-on know-how transfer to “starter” countries
Promotion of biomethane projects in countries with high potential but few activities.
EBA was leading the Work Package 3 coordinating EU-level Working Groups and Workshops and is
responsible for technical standards and biomethane trade.
10 documents published
www.greengasgrids.eu
EBA together with European Biodiesel Board and European Algae Biomass Association as well as with
technology providers and advanced biofuels producers built a consortium of the European Sustainable
Biofuels Forum (ESBF). ESBF is grouping the European biofuels producers and policy actors under one
single umbrella in order to address common issues and promote the development of alternative fuels. The
project is funded by the European Commission’s tender for three years aiming at:
Building up consensus among the EU biofuels stakeholders creating synergies between conventional
and advanced generations biofuels producers and advanced technology providers
spreading extensive information on the state of play of European biofuels
www.sustainablebiofuelsforum.eu
Duration:
Partners:
Project was successfully finalised in June 2014
The projects’s consortium consisted of 13
European partners, including national energy
agencies, scientific institutions, as well as
industry associations involved in biomethane,
natural gas and renewable energy
19
5
Per
In the summer 2014 association representing renewable ethanol ePURE joined the project consortium. Having all biofuel representatives on
board, project partners discussed deeply biofuel related EU policies: support of biofuels after 2020, indirect Land Use Change and definition
of advanced biofuels. As a result of multiple meetings the ESBF consortium under aegis of EBA published a brochure with facts on biofuel
production and use “Biofuels – sustainable and safe energy for Europe”.
September 2012 – March 2015
EBA, EBB, EABA, ePURE, Chemtex, BDI Bioenergy International, Idea-RE
10 documents published Duration:
Partners:
www.fabbiogas.eu
This project coordinated by IFA-Tulln (Austria) started in April 2013 and runs until October 2016. The
objective is to elaborate a solid information base on FAB (Food and Beverage) waste utilisation for
biogas production and to prove the efficiency and feasibility of FAB waste-based biogas implementation
projects. Key actions include:
EBA will prepare an International Handbook “Biogas production in Food and Beverage Industry” de-
scribing status of biogas production in partner countries, status of R&D projects on this topic, best
practice examples and the most promising FaB industry branches.
Set-up national contact points in FAB associations in all
partner countries
Organise awareness raising events for FAB
Identify potentials for using FAB waste
Compile a complete set of tools and guidelines,
facilitating cooperation between FAB industry, biogas
sector and law makers all over Europe.
Biogas accounted for 8% of total renewable energy gross
inland consumption in 2012 (Eurostat)
20
Press releases
Position papers
Articles
5
Per
(Co-)organised
Subscribers
Opens
Two years after the first conference of
European Biogas Association in
Bratislava, Slovakia, the second
conference in Egmond aan Zee in the
Netherlands saw a doubled audience of
240 participants, as well a one day longer
event. Main topics covered by the
conference were the role of biogas in
Europe’s energy and transportation
policies, substrates, digestate and
biomethane. A special spotlight was on
biomass gasification, having a full day
dedicated to the topic at the Biomass
Gasification Europe (BGE) conference in
Alkmaar. This last day was also dedicated
to the official launch of Institute for
Valorisation and Expertise in
Thermochemics Alkmaar (InVesta). Finally,
the last highlights were two parallel study
tours to biogas and biomethane plants,
and newly opened ECN Energy Research
Centre.
Exhibitors
Co-hosts 2
Events and networking
15
4 15 Media partners
Posters
240 Participants
30 Countries
36 Speakers
10 Sponsors
Participants enjoying their study trips to
biogas plants in Amsterdam and Energy
Research Centre of
Netherlands
The absolute favourite of the event - a
biogas powered 928 Porche parked at the
EBA Biogas Conference venue
270 participants at a 3 days long conference
listening and engaging in high level
presentations and discussions and taking
advantage of networking opportunities
21
14 3
5
5 Exhibited:
45 Attended: Spoke at: Co-organised:
trade fairs events conferences and events
events
The joint workshop highlighted the
work and achievements of the three
biomethane projects (GreenGasGrids,
Biomaster and UrbanBiogas)
coordinated by the Executive Agency
for Small and Medium-sized
Enterprises (EASME) and pointed out
the advantages of biomethane and
current policy and market challenges
to broadly deploy this technology.
150 participants attended the event,
coordinated by EBA
European Biomethane
workshop
Sustainability of biogas
workshop
EBA 2nd digestate
workshop
An international group of
stakeholders gathered to discuss the
sustainability of biogas feedstock and
production. A crucial importance is
that sustainability criteria and the
methodology of greenhouse gas
emission calculation are based on
solid and peer-reviewed data that is
applied for a long-term period
bringing investment security. The EBA
event was attended by nearly 40
participants.
Goals of this event were to discuss
anaerobic digestion’s contribution to
sustainable EU agriculture,
demonstrate possibilities of digestate
as a valuabe bio-fertiliser, promote
the End-of-Waste (EoW) status for
digestate and deliver arguments why
biogas digestate shall not fail under
the REACH regulation after it
achieves the EoW status. The
workshop was attended by around 50
participants.
22
Subscribers
EBA is managed by the Executive
Board and the secretariat. At the
General Assembly of 2014,
Arthur Wellinger announced his
resignation from the position of
EBA’s president and
participation in executive board.
Following this decision, a new
president and one new executive
member were selected to join
the Board: Jan Stambasky from
Czech Republic as a new
president and David Collins from
the UK as an executive member.
Thus, the following members
formed the Board in 2014.
The EBA’s secretariat in Brussels
is run by Agata Prządka
(Technical Advisor) and Susanna
Pflüger (Senior Policy Advisor),
who deal with the association’s
day-to-day business and execute
tasks delegated by the Executive
Board and Secretary General.
Since September the Brussels
office is supported by Nicolas de
la Vega (Policy Advisor) and
Erneszt Kovacs (Assistant to the
Technical Advisor, trainee). The
Secretariats’ tasks are
coordinated by Sebastian Stolpp
(Secretary General). From
January to July 2014, Maria
Cacenschi supported the
Secretariat as a Communication
and Administration trainee.
Organisational structure President
Jan Stambasky,
Czech Biogas Association
Vice President
Harm Gröbrugge,
German Biogas Association
Board member
David Collins,
Renewable Energy
Association, UK
Vice President
Franz Kirchmeyer,
Austrian Compost and
Biogas Association
Board member
Attila Kovács,
Hungarian Biogas
Association
Board member
Göran Strandberg,
Swedish Gas Association
Board member
Stefano Bozzetto,
Italian Biogas Association
Chair of the Scientific
Advisory Committee
Erik Meers,
Biogas-E
Vice-Chair of the Company
Advisory Committee
Leon Stille,
TNO
Executive Board
Senior policy advisor
Susanna Pflüger
Technical advisor
Agata Prządka
Policy advisor
Nicolas de la Vega
Assistant to the technical
advisor
Erneszt Kovács
Secretariat
23
Partnerships and memberships
In 2014, EBA continued to be a member of
EREF (European Renewable Energies
Federation) and AEBIOM (European
Biomass Association). As of 2014 EBA
was also welcomed as a member at
EUFORES (The European Forum for
Renewable Energy Sources). Further, the
association continued its collaboration
with the European Compost Network (ECN)
with regards to digestate and animal by-
products issues and with NGVA Europe
(Natural Gas Vehicle Association) to
establish common European biomethane
standards and campaign together for
increasing the use of biogas as a vehicle
fuel. After the numerous meetings with
natural gas associations EBA established
a network with GIE (Gas Infrastructure
Europe), Eurogas and Marcogaz (Technical
Association of the European Gas industry).
There are two types of the membership at
EBA: FULL members - national or regional
biogas associations and ASSOCIATED
members - companies, universities,
research institutes, public authorities and
individuals.
Member of:
Partnership with:
Partnerships
EBA membership
37
32 Full members
Countries
New members in 2014
26
Associate members
24
ARGE Kompost & Biogas
www.kompost-biogas.at
ValBiom - Wallonian Biogas Asscoiation
www.valbiom.be
EDORA - Federation of renewable energies
www.edora.be
Biogas-E - Anaerobic Digestion platform for
Flanders
www.biogas-e.be
CzBA - Czech Biogas Association
www.czba.cz
Brancheforeningen for Biogas
www.biogasbranchen.dk
MTÜ - Estonian Biogas Association
eba.eestibiogaas.ee
Suomen Biokaasuyhdistys
www.biokaasuyhdistys.net
AAMF - Association of Biogas Farmers of France
www.pardessuslahaie.net
Full members ATEE Club Biogaz
www.atee.fr/biogaz
METHEOR - Assocation for the Eological Anaerobic Digestion of
Waste
www.metheor.org
Fachverband Biogas
www.biogas.org
FNNB - Society for the promotion of sustainable biogas and
bioenergy
www.fnbb.de
HEL.BI.O - Hellenic Biogas Association
www.helbio.gr
Magyar Biogáz Egyesület
www.biogas.hu
CRE - Composting and Anaerobic Digestion Association of
Ireland
www.cre.ie
IrBEA - Irish Biomass Association
www.irbea.ie
Consorzio Italiano Biogas
www.consorziobiogas.it
25
Latvijas Bigazes Asociacija
latvijasbiogaze.lv
Bioduju Asociacija
www.lbda.lt
Biogasvereenegung
www.biogasvereenegung.lu
VGGP - Association of Green Gas Producers
www.vggp.nl
PIGEO - Polish Economic Chamber of Renewable
Energy
www.pigeo.org.pl
ARBIO - Romanian Association of Biomass and
Biogas
www.arbio.ro
Udruženje Biogas Srbija
www.biogas.org.rs
AVEOZ - Association of producers of renewable
energies
www.aveoz.sk
Biogas section of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry
of Food and Agriculture
www.gzs.si/slo/panoge/
zbornica_kmetijskih_in_zivilskih_podjetij
AEBIG - Spanish Biogas Association
www.aebig.org
Energigas Sverige
www.energigas.se
Biomasse Schweiz
www.biomasseschweiz.ch
ADBA - The Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources
Association
www.adbiogas.co.uk
REA Biogas Group - UK Renewable Energy Association
www.r-e-a.net
26
Associate members
27
28
European Biogas Association, January 2015
Photos: BTS Biogas, Schmack Biogas GmbH, Suomen Biokaasuyhdistys, EBA
Design: European Biogas Association