With a more ambitious policy, renewables could supply the 25% of the total heat demand in 2020 and would eliminate an expense of 21.800 million euros in imports.
The promotion of the use of biomass as an energy source by the European Union responds, among other purposes, to the development of its energy security strategy, which contemplates the progressive reduction of dependence on third countries.
As a result of the different crises that have occurred in recent years, energy security has occupied a prominent place on the European political agenda.
In fact, given that the EU is dependent on Russian gas for more than 65%, several countries in central and northern Europe have already rethink their energy supply and distribution systems, with strong bets towards energy efficiency and energy. renewable as biomass.
'Heating crisis'
Since around 75% of the gas consumed in Europe goes to heating, while the remaining 25% is for electricity production, the EU gas safety crisis is in fact a heating crisis.
And it should be noted that a significant part of energy imports comes from politically unstable regions, which poses a risk to the security of EU supplies.
Solid biomass imports only represent between 2% and 3% of EU gross biomass domestic consumption for heating and electricity. It is, therefore, a minor fact, which will remain marginal in the future, compared to fossil fuel imports. In addition, this small volume of imported biomass comes from geopolitically stable areas (United States and Canada).
The potential of biomass
In any case, it is necessary to emphasize that the imports of biomass to the EU countries, although minimal, are also dispensable. European forests are underutilized. Its growth is significantly greater than what is used. Therefore, the stock of wood in the forest increases every year by almost 300 million cubic meters.
Biomass offers the possibility of replacing all types of fossil fuel within each market: electricity, heating and transportation.
If 2020 reaches the targets set by the EU in renewable energy for heating and cooling, European countries will save some 9.600 million euros. Although, with somewhat more ambitious policies, renewables could supply 25% of total heat demand; and this would mean achieving an annual savings in imports of 21.800 million euros.