Sweden first to celebrate national Bioenergy Day 2018
Sweden is again the first EU Member State to celebrate its national Bioenergy Day. According to Eurostat statistics and calculations by the European biomass association Bioenergy Europe, bioenergy accounts for 37 percent of Swedish final energy use. This corresponds to 135 of the 365 days of the year or from August 18 to the year-end that Sweden can run on bioenergy only.
The number of days in 2018 that bioenergy can cover the energy demand in the countries of Europe – EU-28 and four others according to Eurostat data and calculations by Bioenergy Europe (graphic courtesy Bioenergy Europe).
Bioenergy is the EU’s largest renewable energy source, providing more energy than hydro, wind, solar and geothermal energy combined. According to Eurostat data and calculations by Bioenergy Europe, bioenergy will account for 12 percent of the EU’s final energy supply in 2018, while all other renewable energy sources will reach 7 percent.
However, 81 percent of EU’s energy comes from non-renewable sources, mainly fossil fuels, such as coal, oil and natural gas. For the EU as a whole, the European Bioenergy Day will be celebrated on November 19, as bioenergy for the entire EU accounts for 43 of 365 days of energy supply.
Just like last year, Sweden is the first to celebrate its national Bioenergy Day, “3.9 days” earlier than in 2017 according to Bioenergy Europe. Also like last year Sweden is followed by Finland (34%), Latvia (32%), Estonia (28%) and Denmark (27%).
“Europe must reduce dependence on fossil fuels, both for the sake of climate and for less dependence on energy imports. Here bioenergy plays a crucial role. Sweden shows the way, not least because of our high carbon tax, which other EU countries should look to follow,” commented Gustav Melin, CEO, Swedish Bioenergy Association (Svebio) here seen speaking during the Nordic Pellets 2018 conference in Helsingborg, Sweden.
European Bioenergy Day
The European Bioenergy Day campaign is powered by Bioenergy Europe and relayed across Europe by both national and international partners supporting the belief that bioenergy is more than a renewable energy source, but a reliable path that will lead Europe to achieve its renewable energy transition in the shortest span of time.