The project aims to foster the energy use of biomass by ensuring an adequate knowledge access through the implementation of a transnational Consultancy Network “COACH BioEnergy” and so transfer technological findings from the scientific to the local, regional, national and European policy and decision making level. The knowledge transfer will provide practically operating target users with detailed information on the most efficient and sustainable technological solutions for biomass use. The know-how necessary to prepare a high-quality consultancy service provide the so-called Competence Access Centers (CAC) and Supporting Knowledge Providers (SKP), a network of highly regarded universities and institutions dealing with different aspects of biomass use. Regional Consulting Bureaus (RCB) located in several regions of the participating countries will ensure the demand-specific delivery of information.

In the first months of the project the project partners were asked to participate in two questionnaires. These had the aim to elaborate a detailed structure of the future consulting net and develop a workflow concept. The first questionnaire included questions on preferred communication and working tools based on the past network experiences. The second aimed to provide a short market analysis and so define the interests of the target group in the future network. Based on the collected information first ideas for the network concept have been summarized.

Through the so-called Virtual Net the future online services shall mainly comprise general access to

1. expertise on bioenergy,
2. daily work support (back the daily work of interested organizations in case of individual inquiries as well as complex studies and analysis) and
3. investment preparation (by using energy calculation and costing models).

Despite that, the personal contact shall be maintained on all levels.

Quality criteria have also been discussed and defined in order to prepare the process of content collection. Additionally, a template for institutional analysis was developed to gather reliable information in each region about the institutional framework of the biomass sector.