The BIOMASUD PLUS project of the Horizon 2020 Program, coordinated by the Spanish Bioenergy (AVEBIOM), aims to improve the BIOmasud quality and sustainability certification system, which has been in operation since 2013 for Mediterranean solid biofuels. This will be done by including new biofuels, reviewing the system’s sustainability criteria and extending it to other interested countries. Currently the label is present in Spain, France and Portugal and, thanks to the BIOMASUD PLUS project, will also be implemented in Italy, Greece, Slovenia, Croatia and Turkey. The partners of the multidisciplinary team of the consortium are: AVEBIOM, CIEMAT, PEFC and Tercera Fase Software by Spain, CBE of Portugal, AIEL of Italy, BIOS of Austria, CERTH of Greece, ZEZ of Croatia, Tubitak of Turkey and GIS of Slovenia.
One of the works in progress of the project is a market study of solid biofuels in the Mediterranean countries that are part of the consortium and identify what quantities are being marketed, what biomass potential exists, how much biomass is being imported or exported, what are the major barriers to the development of biomass, etc. A SWOT analysis is also being carried out for each group of the Mediterranean biofuels that will cover the BIOmasud certification system when it is expanded: wood chips, olive stones, nutshells, olive tree pruning and vineyard prunnings
In addition, we want to study the acceptance of biofuels among consumers and knowing first-hand how they are using them. The questionnaire asks whether or not they already have biomass heating. It is also asked if they know these heating systems and their advantages (according to AVEBIOM data, 70% of the population in Spain was unaware of what is biomass in 2014). In case the consumers know them and do not have them in their homes (or do not want them), the questionnaire asks the reason.
For the data collection to be done in different countries, an online questionnaire has been developed and disseminated through different channels of communication. Below can be found the links for each of the languages of the countries where we want to study the solid biofuels’ habits.
Slovenian questionnaire
For any additional information about the project, you can consult the project’s WEB page or contact directly to the address coordinator@biomasudplus.eu