Source: Energy & Management Powernews, 07 October 2022
Three federal ministries have presented on October 6 cornerstones to ensure sustainable biomass production and use in Germany.
The submitted biomass strategy is intended to consistently implement climate, environmental and biodiversity goals and enable sustainable use of biomass from forestry, agriculture and waste management. The cornerstones submitted the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection (BMWK), the Federal Ministry of Agriculture (BMEL) and the Federal Ministry for the Environment (BMUV) together.
The sustainably available biomass potential, the preservation of natural ecosystems and the food-first principle (priority of food security) formed the framework for action, the ministries said. Based on the key points, the biomass strategy is now to be developed in dialogue with representatives from politics, business, science and society and adopted next year. Questions about the short-term role of bioenergy in the context of energy supply security would not be the focus of the strategy.
Keeping ecological limits
Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) explained that biomass such as wood, energy crops or organic waste is a resource that is in great demand and also domestic. "Even if it is of natural origin and is a renewable resource: its use is not per se climate and environmentally friendly," Habeck qualified. Biomass is also only available in limited quantities, so Germany needs rules for sustainable use of it. "We are creating the necessary guard rails for this with the biomass strategy," the minister said.
In the future, biomass should only be used in sustainably available quantities and in a more targeted manner for climate protection and the transformation of the economy towards greenhouse gas neutrality. "In this way, we create long-term reliable framework conditions for investments, also in rural areas - always in line with the preservation of our natural livelihoods," Habeck said.
Federal Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir (Greens) stressed, "In these times of far-reaching consequences for global food security of Russia's attack on Ukraine in violation of international law and increasing competition for scarce raw materials, responsible and forward-looking use of our natural resources is more important than ever."
Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke (Greens) also emphasized the need to adhere to ecological limits. "In order to make a measurable and sustainable contribution to climate and biodiversity protection, it must be carefully weighed up what the scarce resource biomass should be used for," she said. High-value materials would have to be used sustainably as a cascade, in the case of wood for the production of building materials or furniture and only at the end of the use energetically.
Biogas industry wants to grow
The German biogas industry lamented at the same time the only slow growth. Thus, the trade association biogas for 2022 assumes an increase of only 109 to 9879 plants nationwide. That is too little in view of the crisis of the fossil fuels and their high prices. Also the generation of electricity from biogas will increase only minimally to 33.6 billion kWh, from33.5 billion kWh in the previous year. On the other hand, heat from biogas will be better used, the association said. Here 2 billion kWh more than in the previous year are expected in this year, altogether 17.4 billion kWh.
Association president Horst silk said: "The current numbers show the massive uncertainty in the industry, since the completely out of the rudder running legal requirements and the political uncertainties clearly dampen the willingness to invest." In order to raise the potential of biogas in the long term, there needs to be "a clear commitment from politicians and reliable prospects that go beyond 2024," Seide demanded. If residual and waste materials were fully utilized, current production could be doubled without the need for additional acreage, he said. The most important feedstock for biogas in Germany is currently corn silage. Currently, however, the number of manure-processing plants in particular is increasing.
Approval and criticism from environmentalists
Johann Rathke, coordinator for agricultural and land-use policy at WWF Germany welcomed the presentation of the key points. However, he said they came far too late for this winter and the current issues surrounding the use of wood and other biomass as an energy source. "The cornerstones of the strategy go in the right direction, especially in the hierarchy of use: food and material use must come before energy use," said Rathke.
At the same time, he criticized, insufficient attention was paid to the fact that biomass is a fundamental component of our ecosystems. Thus the ecological value of the forest for the protection of species, resources and climate is not sufficiently considered. "Wood use must be adapted to the performance capacity of the forest," the environmentalist demanded.
The Corner points for a national biomass strategy are available on the Internet.
Author: Susanne Harmsen
Accessibility
Language