17th European Biomass Conference & Exhibition - from Research to Industry and Markets. CCH - Congress Center Hamburg, Germany

• Key Conference Topics

- Biomass Resources
- Biomass conversion to Heat, Electricity, Products
- Fuels from Biomass
- Biomass Markets
- Policies and Sustainability
• More than 250 Plenary and Oral Presentations as well as 600 Visual Presentations
• Over 1500 Delegates from more than 60 Countries expected

Florence/ Munich, 11 May 2009 - The 17th European Biomass Conference & Exhibition will take place in Germany at the CCH - Congress Center Hamburg from 29 June to 3 July 2009. It will be chaired in 2009 by Giovanni Federigo De Santi, Director of the Institute for Energy (IE), Joint Research Centre (JRC) - European Commission.

The 5 days of the Conference constitute a most inspiring platform for the whole biomass sector. The event gives direction on how this sector is developing and the Conference also provides a professional environment for networking and the initiation of new technology projects and relationships within the biomass industry. In addition to plenary, oral and visual presentations, the attendees will be able to attend policy reviews, workshops and the technical exhibition.

Giovanni Federigo De Santi states: "The 17th European Biomass Conference & Exhibition this year will be the most important event for all aspects of Biomass and a good opportunity to review the developments in policy, markets, industry, technology, research and education. We expect the results of this European Biomass Conference & Exhibition will support the European Union's specific targets for Renewable Energy for 2020 and the implementation of the corresponding actions. I expect this meeting to deliver a platform to discuss the status and challenges of National and Regional Biomass Action Plans, biofuels as well as the role of bioenergy in initiatives such as the European Strategic Energy Technologies Plan - SET Plan."

Mr. De Santi continues: " As Chairman of the 17th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition, I believe that this meeting will help us to better understand the key issues associated with the sustainable production and use of Biomass and in particular its implications on the tropical world, for example in Latin-America, Asia and Africa. I am also pleased to highlight the importance of the 2009 Bonn Agreement about the creation of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). I am convinced that on our departure from Hamburg we will surely be significantly enriched by listening to your contributions and will find new stimuli to address the energy and climate change challenges we are facing today and in the future."

Jean Francois Dallemand and Heinz Ossenbrink, European Commission, Joint Research Centre, ISPRA and Technical Programme Coordinators say: "The European Biomass Conference has demonstrated itself in the past to be a key event for the biomass community from Europe. It has also attracted communities from all over the world, especially from North America, Latin America, Asia and Africa. These are closely interconnected with Europe through the issues of imports, global trade, WTO mechanisms and aid policy. With the development of renewable energies, not only in our host country Germany but on a worldwide level and with biomass playing an increasingly important role in the energy mix, this Conference will allow us to discuss the various uses of biomass and it's interactions, especially regarding transport, heat and electricity but also for other uses such as bio-materials and green chemistry."