Work Package 6 of the ENERGY BARGE project aims to contribute to better integrated policies and practical solutions to further develop the exploitation of biomass in the participating countries. During the first year of project implementation, the partners compiled a report about the political and regulatory framework in the respective countries. In a further step, legal and administrative barriers to biomass production were identified.

It turned out that the efforts of the countries to expand the bioenergy sector have developed differently. In some cases, the expansion of biomass production for energetic use is hindered by existing or missing legislation or guidelines. Some countries, like Bulgaria or Romania, need effective incentive schemes and subsidies for the generation of energy from renewable resources. Also comprehensive legal provisions are needed.

In fact, not all barriers to biomass production as indicated in the report are political ones, which does not mean that they could not be solved by policy measures. An important field for action in all partner countries is the mobilisation of previously untapped biomass potentials. This applies especially to the forestry sector. An increased cascade use and the inclusion of waste and residue materials could increase the degree of utilisation of biomass for energetic purposes. New breeds and optimised cultivation methods in the agricultural sector can contribute to an expansion of the biomass supply too. The cultivation of areas that are currently not under agricultural or forestry use, e.g. former mining landscapes, former military sites or wastelands, also represent an unexploited potential.

An improved information policy on biomass resources and their potential fields of application is required to help to reduce prejudices, which exist in some parts of the society of the partner countries. Involving the society is essential in this context, as the acceptance and support of the broader public is important to increase the use of biomass for the generation of bioenergy in a sustainable way. For further information, please see the full report on the ENERGY BARGE website.