Biomass associations from around the world have joined forces to create the World Bioenergy Association (WBA), a new organization tasked with promoting the use of biomass in a sustainable and economically efficient way.
The founding members of WBA include Canada, the USA, Australia, Japan, India, Brazil and Sweden, who believe that the creation of a global organization will help to overcome the fragmented nature of the biomass industry.
“Biomass ranges from animal waste to leftover wood, and end uses range from heat and power to renewable products that can replace synthetic chemicals and plastics,” said Douglas Bradley, President of the Canadian Bioenergy Association (CANBIO). “But for bioenergy to take off, we need to speak with one voice – this is what the World Bioenergy Association is all about.”
Chaired by Kent Nyström, president of the Swedish Biomass Association, the WBA will promote trade with biofuels and biomass, work on the standardisation of fuels, and on technical development and research. An important task will also be to monitor the potential for bioenergy in different parts of the world.
It also plans to help to develop certification systems to ensure that bioenergy is produced in an environmentally-friendly way, and under acceptable working conditions.
“Up to now there hasn’t been any organisation for the bioenergy business on the global level,” said Nyström. “Bioenergy use can and should be increased in a sustainable way in light of high prices of fossil fuels and their environmental impact on the climate, and by representing bioenergy producers worldwide, WBA can help.”
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