Renewable resources and their applications are gaining importance not only within Germany, but worldwide. Consequently, the efforts going into the topic present great chances - if they are streamlined and coordinated, so that duplication is avoided and multiplication effects are being generated. Recognising the huge potential international cooperation poses, FNR is setting great store by its active involvement in a number of transnational projects.

On these pages, you will find information on

• Our participation in the International Energy Agency and ERRMA
• Our current EU projects
• Some of our completed EU projects
  
• Selected links

International cooperation will continue to be an important aspect of FNR's daily work in the future.

We are therefore continuously assessing the European Research Area with regard to gaps in knowledge or collaboration that could be successfully addressed by our network of organisations working in the area of renewable resources.

The IEA is an intergovernmental organisation which provides data and recommendations concerning energy policy. The aim of the IEA is to ensure energy security, economic development and environmental protection.

In order to encourage international collaboration efforts between governments or other organisations, the IEA creats legal contracts – Implementing Agreements – which allow a pooling of resources to foster research, development and deployment of particular technologies.

Germany is signatory to 18 such IEA agreements, six of which are concerned with renewable energies.

Of these, FNR participates in

• IEA Bioenergy
• IEA-AMF (Advanced Motor Fuels)

In 2005, the Federal Republic of Germany became signatory to the International Energy Agency's bioenergy agreement, with FNR as acting signatory and the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection (BMELV) as deputy.

Within IEA Bioenergy, Germany is involved in all 12 ongoing tasks which mainly deal with biomass.

Tasks and national team leaders

Task 29 Socio-Economic Drivers in Implementing Bioenergy Projects

• SPRINT GbR
• Dr. Sebastian Elbe

Task 31 Biomass Production for Energy from Sustainable Forestry

• Von-Thünen-Institut (vTI), Institut für Ökonomie der Forst- und Holzwirtschaft
• Dr. Jörg Schweinle
• ! This task was completed in 2009; the new Task 43 can partly be viewed as a follow-up.

Task 32 Biomass Combustion and Co-Firing

• Technologie- und Förderzentrum 
• Dr. Hans Hartmann

Task 33 Thermal Gasification

• Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, ITC-TAB
• Prof. Dr.-Ing. Thomas Kolb

Task 34 Pyrolysis of Biomass

• vTI, Institut für Holztechnologie und Holzbiologie  
• Dr. Dietrich Meier

Task 36 Energy Recovery from Municipal Solid Waste

• Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe 
  ITC-TAB
• Professor Helmut Seifert

Task 37 Energy from Biogas and Landfills

• vTI, Institut für Agrartechnologie und Biosystemtechnik
• Dr.-Ing. Peter Weiland

Task 38 Greenhouse Gas Balances of Biomass and Bioenergy Systems

• vTI, Institut für Holztechnologie und Holzbiologie
• Dipl-Ing. Sebastian Rüter

Task 39 Liquid Biofuels from Biomass

• vTI, Institut für Agrartechnologie und Biosystemtechnik
• Prof. Dr.-Ing Axel Munack

Task 40 Sustainable International Bioenergy Trade: Securing Supply and Demand

• Öko-Institut (Institut für angewandte Ökologie e.V.)
• Mr Uwe R. Fritsche

Task 41 Bioenergy Systems Analysis

• Fachagentur Nachwachsende Rohstoffe
• Birger Kerckow

Task 42 Biorefineries: Co-production of fuel, chemicals, power and materials

• vTI, Institut für Agrartechnologie und Biosystemtechnik
• Dr. Thomas Willke

Task 43 Biomass feedstocks for energy markets

• Von-Thünen-Institut (vTI), Institut für Ökonomie der Forst- und Holzwirtschaft
• Dr. Jörg Schweinle

For more information, please visit IEA Bioenergy.

Since December 2009, FNR represents Germany in the IEA Implementing Agreement on Advanced Motor Fuels (AMF).

The AMF aims to promote research, development and market introduction of advanced transport fuels as well as to provide a platform for information and discussion. The fuels studied in the frame of the AMF include alcohols, ethers, esters, gaseous fuels (natural gas, biogas, hydrogen), synthetic fuels, fuels for new types of engines and fuel cells.

In addtion to fuels and their value chains, the Agreement addresses research on engines and on systemes for exhaust treatment.

At the moment, 16 countries participate in the the AMF and its activities in areas such as particle emissions, standardisation, environmental impacts and alternative raw materials.

Further information: IEA-AMF

German contact persons: Birger Kerckow and Ronny Winkelmann, FNR

FNR is a partner in the "European Renewable Resources and Materials Association" (ERRMA).

The network, which currently consists of 5 European competence centres in the field of renewable resources, seeks to promote the market-led use of renewable raw materials, to advise in the setting up of appropriate regulatory frameworks and to establish contacts with major players in the production, use and regulation of renewable raw materials worldwide.

All organisations involved in ERRMA are involved in national or regional programmes dedicated to the development and promotion of renewable resources, materials and technologies.

Current members:

• VALBIOM (Belgium)
• ADEME (France)
• FNR (Germany)
• Bio Based Business (the Netherlands)
• NNFCC (UK). 

Further information can be obtained from: http://www.errma.com