EU project enercoast: utilising bioenergy in coastal regions

How can biogas be utilised locally as a source of energy and income for businesses and households? Bioenergy as a building block for the sustainable development of coastal regions - this was the topic of the EU project enercoast, led by the University of Oldenburg.

Launched in 2008, it is now coming to an end. The results, which were produced in cooperation between science, business, the community and associations, will be presented to the public at a conference on Tuesday, 19 June in the East Frisian community of Dornum.

The University of Oldenburg and the Lower Saxony Chamber of Agriculture are cooperating with partners in Denmark, Sweden, Norway and England on enercoast. The groups are working on site-specific regional networks for the production and utilisation of bioenergy. COAST - Center for Environmental and Sustainability Research at the University of Oldenburg is leading the project. At the event in Dornum, enercoast's German partner municipality, the project participants will present the potential of different types of biomass and explain the views of various social groups.

"Municipal waste, liquid manure, dung, energy crops, but also street greenery, aquatic plants and wood are all possible sources of bioenergy," explains Oldenburg environmental and sustainability researcher Dr Thomas Klenke, who is leading the project. The forms of utilisation are similarly diverse, including electricity, district heating networks, biogas for transport and complex uses in industrial plants. Business plans drawn up as part of enercoast are intended to help the municipalities to find practical ways of utilising bioenergy. "The cooperation with business and social groups here in Dornum and in other regions in the North Sea region has shown us viable options for bioenergy. Further steps are being considered for Dornum, such as trialling algae in process chains and collaborating with regions in the Netherlands," explains Klenke.

"The use of biomass energy makes a contribution to achieving the climate protection goals of Germany and the EU," emphasises Hilmar Gerdes from the Lower Saxony Chamber of Agriculture. Biogas contributes to value creation in rural areas. It has created a lucrative second source of income for many farmers. As agricultural land is becoming increasingly scarce, it is important to tap into potential for further expansion of bioenergy that does not compete with food and animal feed production. It is important that energy production fits into the region and is widely accepted.
Michael Hook, Mayor of the municipality of Dornum, emphasises: "Our municipality is increasingly focusing on renewable energies." It is important to set an example against the impending "cornification" of the landscape and to put products such as teak, seaweed, reeds and fishing waste, which would otherwise be expensive to dispose of, to good use.

Information for members of the press:
You are cordially invited to a press conference on Tuesday, 19 June, 10.30 a.m., in the Dornum moated castle (Rittersaal side room, Schlossstraße 3-5). Your discussion partners are Dr Thomas Klenke, Hilmar Gerdes and Michael Hook.