Energy Barge project
04 May 2018
The EU Interreg Energy Barge project creates synergies between the bio-energy industry and Danube logistics with 23 project partners from all EU countries along the Danube and runs until 2019.
Large volumes of biomass are available along the Danube. Despite the fact that National Renewable Energy Action Plans set bioenergy targets for 2020, it is expected that Danube countries on the Middle and Lower Danube will contribute only marginally to the bioenergy production in Europe. The Energy Barge project aims to exploit synergies in the whole Danube region, fostering know-how transfer and cooperation among key actors in the bioenergy field .
Currently, biomass is mainly processed locally due to a lack of secure, efficient and sustainable logistics solutions. The Energy Barge project will build on synergies between the bioenergy industry and the Danube logistics sector. For this purpose the Energy Barge project will analyse requirements regarding transport, handling and storage of the biomass feedstock, identify promising biomass products for inland waterway transport operation, initiate concrete transports via Danube through B2B events and implement pilot actions in selected Danube ports.
The overall objective of the Energy Barge project is to foster sustainable usage of biomass for energy production in the Danube Region and to increase the share of environmentally friendly biomass-transport on the Danube. It builds on national initiatives existing on the Upper Danube and transfers know-how and experience along the whole Danube corridor. The Energy Barge project will also intensify the transnational cooperation among key actors in biomass supply chains including stakeholders from the agricultural sector, the biomass industry and logistics service providers and foster the energy security and energy efficiency of the Danube region by supporting the development of joint regional storage and distribution solutions and strategies for increasing bioenergy usage. Finally, it can position Danube ports as hubs for the processing and handling of biomass products and strengthen their capability to connect with stakeholders along the bioenergy value chains.
The projects contributes to the implementation of:
- the Renewable Energy Directive 2009/28/EC
- the EU2020 climate goals
- EU Danube Region Strategy’s objective
The Energy Barge project takes a cross-sectoral approach: the project brings together key actors along the entire value chain, stakeholders from the bioenergy industry, Danube ports as well as relevant public authorities and policy stakeholders
