GIS Biomass Symposium: Managing biomass at a local level

The day began with a reminder of the crucial role played by biomass in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening national sovereignty and limiting our dependence on fossil fuels.

One key issue quickly came to the fore: finding the right role for biomass at the intersection of the energy, industrial, agroecological and food transitions.

The development of new uses for biomass (industry, district heating networks, biofuels, etc.) does indeed require the mobilisation of significant volumes of biomass. However, this resource is limited and requires trade-offs to prevent conflicts over its use.

Discussions focused in particular on:

• governance and the alignment of decisions taken at national level with the specific characteristics of local areas;
• the challenges of mobilising biomass: constraints linked to climate change, seasonal variability of the resource, and the need for skills and on-the-ground expertise;
• issues of sovereignty, particularly in the face of energy dependencies linked to biomass production.

In this context, research has a vital role to play in generating the knowledge needed to inform decision-making: improving biomass efficiency, modelling biomass flows, and gaining a better understanding of governance issues.

The role of the biomass working groups, which issue opinions on the supply plans for major industrial or energy projects applying for grants, was also highlighted.