ESF Research Conferences

COST-ESF High-Level Research Conference

The Future Role of Bio-energy from Tree Biomass in Europe

6-11 November 2011

Preliminary Programme

Download the Conference Flyer (updated on 25 July 2011)

The detailed conference programme will be made available by 9 September 2011.

The Directive on the promotion of energy from renewable sources (RES-D; Directive 2009/28/EC) sets a binding target for the EU to achieve a 20 % renewable energy share by 2020, in which the largest contribution is expected to come from biomass from agriculture, forestry and waste for heat and power generation as well as transport fuels.


In 2011, the Year of the Forest, the COST-ESF High-level Research Conference will contribute to understanding bio-energy drivers, options and impacts on forest growing, management and production of traditional goods and services in the future.

Topics

The scientific programme will focus on:

  • Availability of biomass
  • Biodiversity, landscape ecology and soil water quality
  • Supply chain and system evaluation
  • Forest biomass as feedstock  for the energy and biorefinery sector

Objectives

  • Exposure of young scientists to the best current research and strategic opportunities for the future
  • Exchange between policy makers and researchers and industry who will be important in deciding the future of Europe’s Forests
  • A document summarizing the state of knowledge at the end of 2011 on forests as providers of bioenergy.

Invited Speakers

  • Antti Asikainen - Finnish Forest Research Institute (METLA), FI
  • Nikolaus Berlakovich - Federal Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management, AT
  • Rolf Björheden - Skogforsk Uppsala, SE
  • Niels Elers Koch - President of IUFRO; University of Copenhagen, DK
  • Hillevi Eriksson - Swedish Forest Agency, SE
  • Hans Rudolf Heinimann - ETH Zürich, CH
  • Bertold Heinze - Federal Research Centre for Forests, AT
  • Paula Jylhä - Finnish Forest Research Institute (METLA), FI
  • Hans Langeveld - Wageningen University, NL
  • Gerhard Mannsberger - Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management, AT
  • Elspeth MacRae - Scion, NZ
  • Gustav Melin - Swedish Bioenergy Association (SVEBIO), SE
  • Paul Rübig - European Parliament, BE
  • Klemens Schadauer - Bundesamt und Forschungszentrum fuer Wald, AT
  • Tattersal Smith - University of Toronto, CA
  • Raffaele Spinelli - IVALSA, IT
  • Inge Stupak Møller - University of Copenhagen, DK
  • Anna Suurnäkki - VTT Technical Research, FI (tbc)

Format

The conference will feature lectures by invited high-level speakers, short talks by young and early stage researchers, poster sessions and open discussion periods as well as a forward look panel discussion about future developments.

Schedule

Sunday 6 November: arrival day with a welcome reception and dinner in the evening
Monday 7 November: first full conference day
Friday 11 November: departure from the venue after breakfast