ERA-Nets (European Research Area Networks) aim to improve cooperation and coordination of national and regional R&D support programmes. ERA-NET Bioenergy is concerned with energy production from biomass and has set itself the goal to enhance European research cooperation and coordination in this field by way of networking of the relevant R&D programmes of national governments.

The ERA-NET Bioenergy started in October 2004 with founding members from Austria, Finland, Germany, The Netherlands, Sweden and United Kingdom. Since January 2011, ERA-NET Bioenergy is a self-sustained network with a clear focus on joint calls for R&D proposals.

FNR is part of the network since the beginning and since 2011 is sharing the ERA-NET Bioenergy Secretariat with RVO (Netherlands Enterprise Agency), doing a joint coordination of the network. The Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) participates in this network via FNRs funding programme “Renewable Resources”.

So far the ERA-NET Bioenergy network has launched 13 joint calls for proposals:

• 1st Joint Call (2006) on small-scale combustion (5 funded projects)
• 2nd Joint Call (2007) on cleaning of product gas from biomass gasification (6 funded projects)
• 3rd Joint Call (2008) on short rotation coppice (3 funded projects)
• 4th Joint Call (2009) on clean biomass combustion (5 funded projects)
• 5th Joint Call (2010) on sustainable forest management and optimised use of lignocellulosic resources - together with another ERA-Net called "WoodWisdom-Net 2" (12 funded projects)
• 6th Joint Call (2012) on biogas and energy crops (4 funded projects)
• 7th Joint call (2013) on small-scale heat and power production (2 funded projects)
• 8th Joint Call (2014) on integrated biorefinery concepts (3 funded projects)
• 9th Joint Call (2015) on innovative bioenergy concepts; 5 projects
• 10th Joint Call (2016) on biobased economy projects (2 funded projects)
• 11th Joint Call (2017, together with BESTF3) on “Bioenergy as part of a smart and flexible energy system” (6 funded projects started 2018)
• 12th Joint Call (2018, together with BESTF3) on “Biomass as an important pillar within energy systems and the circular economy” (2 funded projects started 2019)
• 13th Joint Call (2019, together with BESTF3) on “Combined biomass valorisation to bioenergy, industrial feedstocks and bio-based products” was launched on 22 October 2018, after a 2-step-procedure the projects recommended for funding will be known end of 2019

Between 2016 and 2020 ERA-NET Bioenergy is cooperating with BESTF3 and launched 3 additional joint calls for R&D proposals.

Further information:

• ERA-NET Bioenergy website
• ERA-NET Bionergy Newsletters and Brochures

FNR contact person:  Dr. Boris Vashev

Highlights of Bioenergy Research 2020 at CEBC 2020 on 24 January 2020 in Graz, Austria

The event of the series "Bioenergy Research Highlights" organised by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Transport, Innovation and Technology (BMVIT) was held on 24 January 2020 as a part of the 6th Central European Biomass Conference (CEBC 2020) in Graz, Austria.

Birger Kerckow (FNR) on behalf of the ERA-NET Bioenergy secretariat presented the ongoing activities and plans for future collaboration in the framework of ERA-NET Bioenergy. Eight ERA-NET funded projects (BIOFLEX!, REFAWOOD – 9. Call, OxyCar-FCB, EnCat - 10 Call and Bio_CCHP, EvEmBi, ManuMax, VaBiSys -11. Joint call with BESTF3) showcased their latest research results.

More information about the event as well as all presentations can be found here.

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