Forestry Department - Energy and Biomass
The Styrian Chamber of Agriculture and Forestry was established in 1929 as an agricultural and forestry interest representation for farmers and forest owners in Styria. The Chamber has also specialized in the technical and economical consultation of energy production and supply since the farmer is an important actor to ensure future energy supply or to achieve future energy policy targets. Through this intensive advice activity in the last 20 years the Styrian Chamber played a decisive role that Styria developed into a model region in the field of heat, fuel and electricity production based on forestry and agricultural biomass.
The Chamber is also put in charge with handling of financial support for biomass district heating projects, heating systems based on woodchips, woodlogs and wood pellets as well as biogas plants in Styria. In 2008 the Chamber organised "The Central European Biomass Conference" with more then 1,100 participants from over 60 countries worldwide. About 80 presentations treated subjects like, climate change and security of energy supply, raw material supply, heat and electricity from biomass, transport biofuels, biogas, new agricultural energy crops and financing bioenergy projects.
The Chamber is currently working in different EU-funded projects:
• BIOMASS TRADE CENTRES
Supporting the organization of spot markets supply for wood chips and firewood
www.biomasstradecentres.eu
Central European Biomass Conference 2008
www.biomasseverband.at
• AGRI FOR ENERGY
Promoting the use of biomass from agricultural and forestry sector for heating, electricity and transport purposes
www.agriforenergy.com
• AGRI FOR ENERGY2 (Project coordinator)
Support market activities and promoting the use of biomass from agricultural and forestry sector for heating, electricity and transport purposes
Starts in June 2009
Activities of the Styrian Chamber of Agriculture and Forestry in the EU-project "Woodheat Solutions"
The project aims are to make wood fuels attractive to the consumer and inspire investment in wood-based heating systems. To achieve this goal, wood fuels must compete with fossil fuels on the market. Following aspects are significant:
- Lower price as fossil fuels
- Constant availability
- High and constant quality standards
In Austria especially in Styria heating with wood fuels has a long tradition; therefore Styria has a lot of theoretical and practical expertise with the use of biomass. Austria has led the way in Europe in setting and implementing own standards for supply of biomass heating. The Styrian Chamber transfers this know-how as best practice systems and techniques to the other less experienced project partners. The Chamber helps to provide solutions in which way the other partners can reduce production costs and guarantee high quality standards of wood fuels.
Description of the project work
- Preparing the article "Telling the Story in Austria – How the bioenergy market involved in Austria" for each of the less experienced project partners
- Preparation of two study tours for buyers and sellers to Styria with the focus on:
- application of solid biofuel standards
- quality assurance of wood fuels
- integration of the agriculture and forestry sector in the bioenergy market
- promoting biomass, customers satisfaction with wood fuels
- Creating a study tour report
- General know-how transfer to the less experienced project partner (e.g. best practice examples; experience with logistic, trading and storage systems)
- Preparing a roadmap for implementing of standards in Slovenia, England and Croatian
- Support for promotional leaflets