Biomass as a renewable source is becoming increasingly important as it represents a solution to international commitments for the countries to reduce CO2 emissions. The European Commission estimates that biomass currently represents almost 60% of renewable energy consumption in the EU, 96% of which is produced within Europe. Of all biomass materials, wood has always been the most used in Europe. The residential sector retains the largest share of solid wood energy consumption, followed by the industrial use of wood chips. Pellet consumption in modern appliances is also growing fast, representing 6% of the EU’s total wood energy consumption.
Ideally woody biomass should be provided locally (within distances of 30-40 km). In this case biomass is a viable alternative to fossil fuels which today must be imported. This platform is meant to foster the use of local woody biomass. This user-friendly solution is aiming to bring together buyers and sellers of woody biomass from across Alpine region countries (Italy, France, Slovenia, Germay, Austria), so that buyers can find information on best biomass providers based on short transport lines.
Biomass providers can enter this platform providing information on biomass products they sell, location, and sustainability/quality criteria they fulfil. Registration of sellers is free and validated by the platform administrators. Buyers can browse the list of sellers by product and location and can additionally use the interactive map of all providers in the area. The buyer and seller make contact independently from this platform, as this platform is for informative purposes only.